Lieutenant McCoy
by nbclasvegasfan
Summary: A theory of what could have happened to Danny while he was at war and a different possibility of what could have happened when he came back. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

"Lieutenant McCoy! Lieutenant McCoy, we're being overrun!" the young marine shouted over the loud sound of bullets being shot at them.

Danny turned to find himself looking into the faces of four young men all looking to him for guidance and leadership. Lieutenant McCoy grabbed the youngest marine by his shoulders and turned him around abruptly to get a hold of the satellite phone in his pack. He dialed into the base.

"Alpha one, Alpha one, this is the pretender. Do you come in, over? I repeat this is the pretender, do you come in alpha one, over?" the other men sat and looked at Danny curiously.

"Pretender, this is alpha one. How do you read, over?" the burly voice questioned coming through a static filled line.

"Alpha one, we are being overrun; I am requesting an air strike on the coordinates of…" Danny paused as he again reached into his fellow marines pack to pull out a very warn map. "…33°20′00″N, 44°26′00″E, over." The men standing around him looked at him in bewilderment; they couldn't believe what they were hearing. "I repeat the coordinates are 33°20′00″N, 44°26′00″E. Do you read alpha one, over?"

"Yes, we read you Pretender, are you sure this is the only option, over?" The man again questioned with a hoarse voice.

"Alpha one, I am positive. Is that a confirmation, over?" Danny listened intently.

"That's a go pretender. May God be with you. This is alpha one out."

Bill, the youngest of the five men, snatched the map from his lieutenant's hands and examined it thoroughly.

"Wait a minute, those are our coordinates!" He shouted sounding panicked. Danny looked down at his feet and said nothing.

Suddenly all went quiet and the only thing Danny could hear was Mary's voice pleading him to come back to her. He remembered what she looked like in the Vegas sunlight, with the wind blowing in her hair, smiling like she used to when they were kids. He remembered when they were young and everything was so innocent, he remembered how happy the two of them used to be, and then he remembered the passionate night they had spent together before he had left. Then the thought came to him, that would be the last time he would ever see Mary Connell if he didn't do something.

He then snapped out of it and signaled for his troops to follow. The highly trained marines ran and hugged the outside wall of an old abandoned building. Suddenly shots were fired and it wasn't coming from Lieutenant McCoy's squad. Danny turned around quickly to see that the youngest member of his squad had violently been thrust back against the wall and slid down. Danny quickly looked from his friend to the Iraqi soldier that had just killed his fellow marine and put four bullets into his skull. He then rushed over to Bill who was now sitting on the ground propped up against the building with blood escaping his body from his many wounds. Danny squatted down and put two of his fingers to the man's neck and didn't feel a pulse. The tall marine looked down and then again raised his head and lifted his hand to shut the eyes of the young marine.

Danny realized that if he didn't do something soon then his entire squad and himself were going to end up like Bill, dead. Not leaving Bill behind, Danny picked him up, threw him over his shoulder, and ran for cover with his troops close behind. They had reached an old abandoned building, there seemed to be a lot of those in this particular area. Danny laid Bill down on a table in the corner of the room. The constant sound of gunfire never seemed to let up, but it didn't seem to bother any of them.

The men went up the rickety stairs to find two bedrooms that both used to have windows overlooking the desert, but were now just holes in the wall staring at the demolished cars and pieces of what used to be buildings that lay in the streets below. There were Iraqi soldiers everywhere and they had now spotted the American troops spying on them through the, what were at one time, windows and opened fire. The marines fell to the floor quickly drawing their weapons into the correct position and opened fire on the enemy. There were two marines on Danny's right and another on his left. For the first few minutes they were doing pretty well and then out of the corner of his right eye Danny saw Kent fall and he wasn't getting back up. The men kept firing their weapons out of the destroyed windows until there was no one left to shoot at. Danny rushed over to Kent and took his pulse only to discover that he didn't have one. Clark walked up behind Danny and clapped him on the back indicating for him to move aside.

At that moment as Danny watched the remaining two marines lift Kent up and take him downstairs and lay him next to Bill he knew that if somehow he got out of this alive he was going to ask Mary Connell to become Mrs. Daniel McCoy.

Danny sat and stared at the lifeless bodies of Bill and Kent. Suddenly Danny snapped out of it and cautiously looked outside. It was then when he spotted it. Their escape vehicle or what would soon become their escape vehicle. The tall marine ran back inside and grabbed the remaining two marines, Jack and Brian.

"There is a truck outside that I believe still has the keys in it. Jack I need you to go out there, get the truck, and bring it around front. Brian I need you to help me get Bill and Kent and load them up in the truck." Danny instructed.

"But Lieutenant, Bill and Kent are…." Brian started when Danny cut him off.

"Bill and Kent are marines! And they will not be left behind! Do you got that?!" Danny shouted looking at Brian with a looked that dared him to question him further.

Jack left to go get the truck and Brian helped with Bill and Kent. Once Danny and Brian were done Danny got in the drivers seat, Brian manned the automatic gun that was on the back of the truck, and Jack sat in the Passenger seat with his gun ready for action. Danny knew that if they didn't get going they were going to get caught in the massive explosion that he had called in for. He started up the truck and put it into gear and got going. As he turned the corner there were hundreds of Iraqi men all around them with guns, mostly AK47's, and began firing at them. Danny was swerving all over the road trying to dodge bullets, people, cars that no longer worked, fire pits, anything and everything that was in his way. There were tons of people that were just dropping to the ground and then Danny realized that it was because of his troops, his friends, his family.

They kept going when Jack suddenly fell forward hitting his head hard on the dash board. Danny turned his head and noticed the gaping whole in his friends back. He had no choice but to keep driving. Brian was still on the automatic when both he and Danny noticed that the enemy that they were fighting stopped shooting and started to run in the same direction that they were driving. Danny glanced in his rear view mirrors and could see the explosions that were occurring behind him that seemed to get nearer and nearer. And then it happened, those explosions that were occurring behind their truck, the bombs that Danny had ordered to be dropped caught up with them. He could feel the car rise into the air and he had no control over it. Suddenly the truck came back down landing on its roof with all of the marines still inside.

It was the loudest noise that Danny had ever heard. It wasn't the sound of the explosion, or the sound of the car crashing, it was the sound of his friend Brian screaming out of agony. Danny struggled to get out of the car, but he couldn't. The steering wheel of the car was pinning him to his seat crushing his legs. He fought profusely, but did not succeed. He could not see Brian, he could only hear his blood curdling screams.

Suddenly something caught his eye. The small piece of glass that once belonged to the rear view mirror lied next to his face. He reached over and grabbed it, he looked into the mirror and could see Brian rolling around on the floor behind him trying to put the fire out that was burning all over his body. Tears started streaming down the lieutenant's face as he took the slice of glass and through it out in front of him to watch it shatter. With one last intense pull up on the steering wheel it came loose and Danny stammered out of the car. As a staggering Danny approached Brian he stared at him lying on the floor motionless with burns all over his body. He suddenly collapsed to his knees next to Brian's lifeless body.

The explosions had stopped some time ago, but Danny couldn't move. He slowly got up from his knees and looked around. The pack that his fellow marine was wearing had been thrown from the car while it was airborne. He slowly walked over to the pack and pulled out the map that he had used just hours before. Looking at that map he found the coordinates that he was looking for. The emergency drop was only a half a mile away. A dune buggy and some weapons would be waiting. Danny picked up the pack and started to run. He never stopped running until he reached the dune buggy. Danny threw the pack onto the passenger seat and drove back to his previous location.


	2. Chapter 2

During the short drive Danny thought of his life back in Las Vegas. He thought of Ed, and how much he missed him yelling at him, he thought of Mike and how he was always flirting with every girl that walked into the casino, he thought of Delinda and her bubbly personality, he thought of Sam and how feisty she was all the time, he thought of Nessa and how she always asked him to show her the sights of Vegas, but most of all he thought of Mary and the question that he was going to ask her when or if he got home.

Before he knew it he was back to the flipped over truck that he was trapped in just moments earlier. He got out of the dune buggy and walked over to his four fellow marines. One by one he picked them up and placed them into his vehicle. First he picked up Bill and placed him carefully in the passenger seat of the buggy, next he walked back over and picked Kent up off of the floor and sat him in the back seat of the vehicle, Danny again turned around and walked over to the passenger side of the car that was upside down and pulled out his knife to cut loose the seat belt that was holding him in. After a while a struggling Danny got Jack out of the car and into the buggy. Lastly he turned around and went to get Brian. As he approached Brian he knelt down to look at him. The tall marine collapsed his head on Brian's chest and started to sob. He lifted his head back up and examined his burnt flesh one last time before he lifted the lifeless marine into his arms effortlessly.

As Danny got into the drivers seat he looked around in the over stuffed vehicle and couldn't do anything but shake his head. Then Danny put the buggy in drive and took off towards the base. Driving always seemed to clear Danny's mind. Even as a kid all he had to do when he was upset was hop on his bike and take off for a while. As he drove in the open desert the thoughts of his old life came drifting back into his head.

He couldn't stop thinking about Mary and her beautiful smile, the way her hair blew in the wind, everything about her was amazing. He kept thinking to himself and how he had tried to push her away for all these years, but somehow she had managed to get by the wall he had built up without him evening realizing it. As he thought to himself about these things he couldn't help but smile.

The smile on his face quickly faded when the sound of gun fire was heard. Danny looked to his left and saw three Iraqi men shooting at him. Without thinking Danny reached over for his assault weapon and started shooting with one hand and driving with the other. One of the men fell to the ground and didn't get back up; the other two started yelling something at him in a foreign language and then ran for cover. It was only about fifteen minutes later when Danny could see his base camp come into vision. The tall anxious marine floored it and honked the horn in Morse code letting his fellow marines know that it was him and not an enemy. The gates to the base flew open and quickly shut once he entered the base.

As Danny put the buggy into park and stepped out, his commanding officer came walking out of a nearby tent looking at him in amazement.

"Lieutenant McCoy?" The burly man asked.

Danny was covered in a mixture of blood, sweat, and dirt. He had a huge gash on the right side of the back of his neck with blood pouring out of it. He was hardly recognizable. Danny reached up and whipped some of the combination of dirt and sweat from his forehead.

"Yes sir…" Danny saluted standing upright.

"At ease lieutenant, you need to go and see a medic and then get some sleep."

"Sir, I don't need any rest. I am ready for duty." Danny said still at attention.

"This isn't a debate lieutenant." His commanding officer barked then realized what he was doing and calmed himself down.

"Yes sir." Danny replied, knowing that he had been defeated.

Danny walked over to the medical tent and took in a deep breath before entering. Once he entered he could feel everyone stop what they were doing and shift their heads in his direction. They looked at him as if they had just seen a ghost. To them it must have felt like they had considering no one expected him to make it out alive. Once Danny got in and saw a doctor he was out in about thirty minutes. It would have been longer, but Danny refused any anesthesia when he had his stitches put in on the back of his neck.

The tall marine walked out of the tent and went to wash his face off, but it didn't do much help, it was as though his face was stained with blood. After an intense fifteen minutes of trying to wash off his face he did as he was told and went to his tent. He walked over and sat down on his cot in the empty tent. He sat there quietly for a long time staring at the four empty cots surrounding him. He lowered his head into his hands and sat there in that position, never going to sleep, for the next two hours.

Suddenly a tall burly marine came barging into the tent.

"McCoy have you been sitting like that for the last few hours?" The man said.

"No sir, I was just waking up." Danny lied.

"Oh well good, I'm glad you got some rest. On a further note I have some great news for you. Lieutenant McCoy pack your things, your going home, you've been discharged." The man said with a smile on his face and waving some papers around in the air.

"Colonel, I don't need any special treatment, I can continue on with the rest of my fellow marines." Danny stated.

"Lieutenant this is not an act of pity and this is not up for debate. Pack your things you are leaving in the morning at 6:00 hours." The colonel handed McCoy the discharge papers and marched out of the room. Once again Danny lowered his head into his hands and then quickly got up to chase after his commanding officer.

"Colonel…!" Danny shouted to get his attention while running towards him. The colonel stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Danny face to face. "Colonel I am fine I don't need to be sent back. I am ready to go back in the field when needed. I would really appreciate it if you would just forget about what happened to me out there and look at me as if I were any other marine. I am not going to have a nervous breakdown or anything like that I just want to get back to work."

"Lieutenant, did it ever occur to you that you were not being pitied?" The colonel said staring at Danny.

"I don't understand sir." Danny stated with a look of confusion on his face.

"McCoy you and your squad were called in for a very specific reason. That mission you were sent on was a very delicate mission and each and every one of you were hand chosen as the only ones that could carry out and complete the mission. After what happened to you out there and what you did, bringing home every member of your squad while being over run, there is no way on earth that I could look at you as 'any other marine'. Do you got that son?" The man said reaching over and placing a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Now if I am not mistaken don't you have a nice girl back home waiting for you? Why don't you get your stuff packed and get home to her." He said starting to turn away.

"Sir…" Danny shouted again. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it McCoy." The man said turning around and headed towards the mess hall. Danny turned around and ran to his tent. He stopped outside and took in a deep breath and then let it out and slowly entered what had been his home for the last seven months. He again sat back down on his cot and examined the room slowly. He gathered his things slowly and packed them in his standard, marine issued, olive green bag. The only thing he really needed was the thing that he carried with him everywhere. It was a picture of Mary and himself at last years Christmas party. He then took the picture out of the roof of his helmet and put it into his pocket.

After placing the picture in his pocket where it belonged he looked around double checking that he wasn't forgetting anything. The empty cots once again caught his eye. There was something about them that made him feel closer to them. Then it dawned on him. The beds weren't made; they were in the exact position that his fellow marines had last laid the light blankets. After being abruptly awakened during the middle of the night to be rushed off on their covert operation none of them had any time to make their cots. Danny cautiously got up and made his way over to Bills cot and slowly made up his bed, he then made his way to Kent's, then to Jack's, and lastly to Brian's. With each one he took his time and made sure that they were perfect. Once he was sure that they were all absolutely perfect he glanced at his watch. His ride was going to be there shortly. He walked back over to his cot and picked up his bag and walked towards the exit. Before leaving he turned around one last time and whispered in the air.

"I will never forget you guys, I love you."

The tall marine straightened up and saluted to his fellow marines, his friends, his family. He then abruptly turned around and exited the tent without looking back. He made his way over to the clearing where the helicopters landed. Colonel Jackson was waiting there for him.

"Colonel…" Danny said saluting.

"At ease lieutenant."

"Colonel I was wondering if you could do me a favor." Danny asked with a serious look on his face. The colonel beckoned for Danny to continue.

"I would like for you to personally make sure that my men get back home. They don't deserve to be stuck in this pit."

"I swear. You just get back to your girl." He said quickly.

"Sir I am serious, I am not leaving here until I am sure that they are too."

"Well Lieutenant, you'll leave when I tell you to, no matter the circumstances, but if you like I will put Bill, Kent, Jack, and Brian on the flight back to the states with you." He said.

"I would very much appreciate that Colonel." Danny saluted to his Colonel and then abruptly turned around and marched onto the large, double propellered, Chinook style helicopter. He sat in one of the seats in his marine, camouflage colored, uniform with his bag lying next to him. It seemed to take for ever to take off. It was then when he spotted them. Four long, black, plastic bags, on stretchers being rushed to the helicopter. He knew what they were right away, it was his squad. The stretchers passed by his window and were loaded into the back of the helicopter. Finally they took off.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a long flight back with a couple of flight transfers, but he finally got there, back to Las Vegas. As his plane was descending right over the Las Vegas strip his eyes glowed. He had never been happier to see those lights. Once he started to depart from the aircraft there were people who would stop him and shake his hand to thank him for what he was doing. He hadn't realized how many patriotic people there were in Vegas.

Once he had made his way through the airport he got outside to flag down a cab and got in quickly.

"Where to sir?" the cab driver asked

"The Montecito" Danny replied anxiously

It took only moments for him to get there on account for the airport being so close to the strip. He pulled up and Danny hoped not to see anyone. Mike wasn't out front which was unusual, but Danny didn't question it. Danny reached for his bag and went to pay the cabby.

"How much?" Danny leaned forward and questioned.

"It's on the house. My brother's over there and I just wanted to thank you guys for everything that you are doing." The cabby stated leaning back to shake Danny's hand.

"Thanks" Danny said firmly shaking the gentleman's hand. He then grabbed his bag and exited the cab. He made his way to the entrance of the hotel and casino and heard the loud sounds of people having fun and coins dropping in the slots. As he walked through the casino he saw her and stopped dead in his tracks. People began to stare at him because he was still in his uniform; though he had changed out of his dirty, blood stained one it was still unusual to see someone in a camouflage uniform. He slowly made his way over to her. Her back was facing him while she was filling out some paperwork at the cashier's desk.

He slowly lifted his hand and tapped her on her shoulder.

"One second." She said while lifting her hand with her pen, not looking up from her paperwork. Danny again raised his hand and tapped her on her shoulder. Mary put down her pen, took in a deep breath out of frustration, and then turned around. That's when she saw him. She froze and silently worded the word 'hi' and then threw her arms around his neck. Danny lifted her up into his arms as they kept kissing each other. He then let her down and she pushed him back a bit, still holding onto his arms.

"Are you in leave?" she questioned.

"Discharged." Danny replied with a wide smile.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Ed walked into the surveillance room very quietly and looked tired and depressed. "We have anything going on tonight boys?" he asked

"Not really." Mike replied "You ok Mr. D?" he asked concerned.

Ed sat there for a moment staring off into space thinking about Danny and what he must be going through. God knows that he knows what that was like.

"Mr. D" Mike again asked more worried then before.

"Oh…ugh…yeah I am fine Mike. Hey do me a favor and if something big comes up come and get me if not you handle it, I'll be in my office." Ed said as he started to turn around and head up to his office.

"Ugh…Mr. D!!!" Mike shouted staring at the monitors. Ed abruptly turned around and saw what had caught Mike's eye. Ed turned around and made a dash for the door. He couldn't remember the last time he was this happy. As he made his way through the casino he saw Danny standing next to Mary as they looked into each others eyes.

Danny then turned his head and saw Ed. He moved from Mary and made his way over to Ed and stared at him for a moment.

"Welcome back kid" Ed said stretching out his arms pulling Danny in for a hug. After a few seconds Ed pushed Danny back putting a hand on his shoulder. "How'd it go over there?" He questioned with a look of understanding on his face. Danny looked to the floor and shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about it." He said still shaking his head. As he lifted his head back up he saw a crowd of people running at him. He recognized them as Delinda, Mike, Sam, and Nessa. Delinda ran at him and threw her arms around his neck hugging him.

"I knew that you would come back to us!" she shouted over the noises of the loud casino. Sam came and pushed Delinda out of the way and threw her arms around him as well. As he let her go she ran her hand through his hair.

"Nice hair cut." She said with a teasing smile on her face. She backed up letting Nessa in for her turn.

"Why didn't you call?" she questioned going in for a hug. Then came, Mike Danny extended a hand and brought Mike in for a 'Guy Hug'.

"It's good to see you man." Mike said pulling out of the hug. Danny stood back looking into the smiling faces of his friends. It suddenly went dark and the only thing he could see was the faces of his troops looking at him for guidance.  
"Lieutenant McCoy we are being overrun!" he could here Bill shouting. By this time Danny had his hand on the side of a slot machine holding himself up.

"Danny? You ok man?" Mike questioned with a panicked look on his face. Danny, realizing what had happened straightened up and looked at his friends in the face with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah sorry man I'm fine." He lied

"You sure?" he asked worriedly

"Yeah I'm good." He again lied. Ed looked at him with a face full of disbelief.

"Why don't you all go back to work and we can all get together and chat later." Ed stated. They all went to leave giving Danny one last hug before the departed again. Then Mary came up to him.

"Have dinner with me tonight?" She asked.

"What time?" Danny questioned not even having to say yes.

"I get off at nine." She said

"Nine it is" They both smiled at one another as she began to walk away. It was just Ed and Danny now. Ed was positioned behind Danny so that he couldn't quite see him. The older man came up behind Danny and put a hand on his shoulder. A startled Danny quickly turned around and grabbed and twisted Ed's arm. Ed then quickly retaliated and maneuvered his arm so that it broke free. Danny, this time, did his same maneuver, but to both of Ed's arms. Danny then looked into Ed's eyes realizing what he had done and shook his head and quickly apologized to him.

"Ed I'm so sorry!" he said looking to the floor and shaking his head.

"No sweat kid. Now lets go upstairs to my office and see the rest of the guys." The older man said again putting his hand on Danny's shoulder leading him upstairs. Ed really didn't care about seeing the other guys, but just wanted to get Danny away from the other people in the hotel and to talk to him about what was bothering him. He knew what Danny was going through. God knows that he had been there and experienced that many times before.


	4. Chapter 4

As they made their way through the casino Danny heard screaming and then saw a crowd of people running in his direction. This time it wasn't a bunch of his friends coming at him with joy. These people's faces were filled with horror. Danny looked at Ed and they both ran in the direction that the people were coming from. There were five men in the cage all dressed in black. They were armed with semi-automatic weapons and weren't backing down. Two of the men were in the cage clearing it out while the other three were out side guarding them in case some idiot decided to be a hero.

Danny decided that he was going to be that idiot. He stepped forward to the man closest to him.

"One more step and you're dead." He stated with the gun pointed at Danny. Danny, still in his marine uniform put his hands up and stepped back.

"Smart choice. Can you believe this guy?" the cocky man chuckled looking back at his associate.

"What are you doing?" Ed whispered to Danny. Danny never even looked at him and then reached behind his back while the man was still chuckling looking towards his friend. He whipped out his Desert Eagle pistol firing two shots into each of the three men outside of the cage. The men fell to the ground and the other two went for their guns.

"DON'T DO IT!!!" Danny screamed. One of the men stood still and the other one went for his gun on the counter. He shot one round off before Danny got him in the head. There were loud screams and Danny gave Ed his gun and went in the direction of the screams. There was a crowd of people surrounding someone. As Danny pushed his way through a wave of horror fell over him as he saw who it was. He immediately fell to his knees short of breath. He crawled over to her and grabbed her and held her in his arms. She was still conscious and was staring into Danny's eyes. It was Mary.

"SOMEONE HELP US!" Danny screamed. Ed pushed his way through the crowd and saw Mary lying on the floor in Danny's arms with tears streaming down Danny's face. He then whipped out his cell phone and dialed 911.

"We need an ambulance at the Montecito right away. Yes someone has been shot."

Ed knelt down next to Danny and Mary and took of his dress shirt leaving him in just his undershirt. He took his shirt and pressed it against Mary's wound in her stomach. Her face scrunched up out of pain.

"Just hold this here Mary." The older man stated. He then got up and backed away. Their crowd of friends came rushing through the casino pushing their way through the mass of people surrounding them. Mike, along with the other security guards that had been fallowing him started to usher the crowd of people back.

"Danny?" Mary said raising her head looking for Danny's hand.

"Yeah, yeah I'm here Mare." He said grabbing her bloody hand. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

"Danny, I love you and I don't want you to sit around talking to my picture when I'm gone." She said half-smiling

"I want you to go out and find yourself a wife and have a bunch of kids."

"I will Mary. You and I are going to get married, move into the house with the white picked fence, and have a bunch of kids just like you always wanted". Mary again smiled tightening her grip on his hand.

"Danny I am not going to make it. Now promise me you are not going to sit around curled up in a ball for the rest of your life. Mourning for me isn't wrong, but you can't go on your whole life doing that. Promise me." She said looking into his eyes intently.

Tears were streaming down both of their faces. She looked away from Danny and looked towards her friends. Delinda stepped forward and knelt down to grab her other free hand.

"Everything's gonna be alright Mare." She said smiling while a tear ran down her face.

"You know for being a spy's daughter you're not very good at lying." Mary laughed then grabbed her wound and scrunched her face in pain again. "Delinda do me a favor."

"Of course Mary anything." Mary started to cry hysterically. "Mary it's ok, what do you need?"

"Take care of Danny when I'm gone." She said tightening her grip on both Danny and Delinda's hands.

Nessa and Sam came up after her and knelt down next to Mary. 

"Mary I think the paramedics are in the parking lot. We're gonna get you to the hospital and you are gonna be fine and we'll all look back on this as just a bad memory." Nessa smiled shedding a tear.

"Yeah you have to think positively Mare." Sam said looking into Mary's eyes.

"That's priceless coming from you." Mary again laughed then wrinkled her face in pain. The three girls got up and moved back behind Danny while Mike came and sat by Mary.

"Mike don't you ever change. You are such a sweet guy and any woman would be lucky to have you." Mary said grabbing his hand. Mike lowered his head trying to hide his blushing face.

"Thanks Mare." He said getting up.

"Where the hell are the paramedics?!" Ed yelled. Mary smiled and tried to move her head to look at him but moaned out of pain. "No, no, no don't try to move Mary." Ed said rushing towards her and kneeling at her side.

"Ed I love you so much. You are the closest thing to a dad that I have ever had. Please…" she started to cry hysterically again, "please take care of Danny! He's not going to take this well." She let go of Danny's hand for the first time and extended her arms as best she could and wrapped them tightly around Ed's neck as he leaned down to hug her. She then pulled away from him and took both of her hands and wrapped them back around Danny's.

"Danny I love you so much." She said. Danny leaned down and kissed her. Suddenly Mary's grip on Danny's hand loosened.

"Mary!?" Danny yelled. "MARY!" she wasn't responding. He pulled her higher up into his arms and started to rock her back and forth. "Mary." He whispered into her ear kissing the hair on her head.

"She's gone Danny." Mike said clapping Danny on the shoulder.

"No, no she's not." He said still rocking her back and forth in his arms. "Mary, Mary sweetie I need you to wake now."

"Paramedics coming through, please move"

"Where the hell have you been?" Ed yelled at them.

"Excuse me sir we are going to need you to move." The men stated.

"No just let him be." Ed whispered to the men. Ed then walked over behind Danny and knelt down putting a hand on his shoulder "Danny, buddy they are going to need you to let her go. They have to take her to the hospital. She's gone buddy."

"No, no I told you she's just tired." He said still rocking her back and forth.

"Danny come on." He said lifting Danny's arm for him. Danny lifted Mary up and laid her down on the stretcher. They walked through the casino, Danny still never letting go of Mary's hand. He got into the ambulance with her and just put his head into his free hand. It seemed like a decade to get to the hospital. As they pulled in and the men opened the door Ed and Delinda stood outside waiting. Danny stepped out of the ambulance and started to walk alongside the stretcher still holding Mary's hand.

"Excuse me sir you can't continue on after this point." The paramedic said.

"Come on Danny." Ed said pulling him back by his shoulder. Danny turned around and fell into Ed's arms.

"I can't believe she's gone." He cried

"I know kid." He said placing a hand on the back of Danny's neck. Danny winced out of pain when Ed touched the sensitive stitching on the back of his neck. Then Danny spotted Delinda and moved from Ed to her. He threw his arms around her and collapsed into her arms.

"Delinda!" Danny cried "Why did this happen? I should have just let them take the money. What was I thinking?" Delinda just ran her hand up and down Danny's back and through his hair reassuring him.

"Danny you did everything right. Do you know how many lives you saved today?" She said again reassuring him

"Yeah, but I didn't save the one the mattered the most!" He yelled.

"it's gonna be ok" she said pulling him back in for a hug. He laid his head on her shoulder and just stood there for several minutes. Ed stood back and watched his daughter comfort this man that was like a son to him. He then turned around and walked into the hospital to get some information and to give them some as well.


	5. Chapter 5

Delinda backed up out of their hug and took Danny's hand.

"Danny you need to get some sleep." Danny hadn't slept in three days. He wasn't going to start now. It wasn't just because of what had happened to Mary, but about his squad. Danny wasn't going to sleep no matter what anyone said.

"Delinda I am not going to sleep." He said looking at her as if daring her to question him. She didn't care she had grown up getting that look from her father and was no longer intimidated by it.

"Danny, you need to get some rest. Now let me take you back to the Montecito and get you a suite." She said with the same look that Danny had given her. Danny figured he could just do the same thing that he had done while he was in Iraq. He would just go in and act as if he were sleeping, but at the moment he didn't have the patience to put on an act.

"God dang-it Delinda I am not sleeping!" he screamed storming off. It was then when Ed came walking out of the hospital only to watch a depressed Danny storming off.

"What happened?" Ed asked a worried Delinda.

"I don't know. I told him that he needed to get some sleep and he freaked out." She said with an unsteady voice. Ed shook his head in understanding and went after a miserable Danny.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Danny…" Ed called catching up to him. "How long has it been since you last slept?"

"Wh…I don't know Ed. I think that I have some more important things on my plate. Don't you think?" he said in frustration.

"Answer the question Danny" Ed said with the same look that Danny had given to Delinda.

"Ed…" Danny started

"How long? How long have you been forcing yourself to stay awake?!" Ed yelled.

"Three days." Danny muttered looking to his feet.

"Danny you need to get some rest." He said again.

"I AM NOT SLEEPING!" Danny screamed punching out a window of a nearby parked ambulance. Danny turned around and ran off to the street and caught a cab. The cabby looked in his rearview mirror and was alarmed at the sight of blood all over Danny's uniform.

"Where to sir?" he questioned not wanting to upset a man covered in blood

"Treasure Island" Danny replied

"Daddy, where's Danny?" Delinda asked half running up to Ed

"He just ran off. I don't know where he went." Ed said while letting out a deep sigh

"Daddy! You let him go off by himself while he's like this? What were you thinking?"

"I didn't 'let him go' he ran off Delinda." Ed said feeling guilty that he did let Danny get away.

"I need a room." Danny said to his old friend

"Danny what's all over your clothes? And why don't you get a room at your hotel?" Rick asked.

"Can you quit with all the questions? Can you get me a room or not?" Danny asked irritated

"Yeah Danny, here you go. If you need anything just let me know." Rick said

"Thanks Rick" Danny said taking the key from him. Danny then walked off towards the elevators. Rick whipped out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Daddy, your phones ringing." Delinda said.

"What, oh" Deline said looking down at the ringing phone on his belt.

"Deline!"

"Mr. Deline, this is Rick, Danny's friend. He just checked into a room here at Treasure Island, something's wrong. I think you should get down here as soon as possible."

"Uh, yeah, ok Rick. What room is he in?" Ed asked

"1754" Rick replied.

"Ok thanks Rick" Ed said hanging up the phone "Delinda lets go. Someone has spotted Danny."

"Where?" Delinda asked relieved

"Treasure Island, now get in the car." He said hopping into the Aston Martin.

The two took off down the strip racing towards the hotel and casino. They pulled into the valet and they hopped out of the car. The two Delines rushed through the crowded casino towards the elevators. They got into the empty car and pressed floor 22.

"Daddy…" Delinda started "you don't think that Danny will do anything stupid? Do you?" She said with tears streaming down her face.

"No, no sweetie everything's gonna be fine." He said holding her in his arms like he did when she was a little girl.

"That's what I said to Mary and look how that turned out." She said still crying.

"Sweetie Danny is going to be hurting for a long time, but overall he is going to be ok. I swear. I have I ever let you down before?" he said pulling her back into his arms. Then the sound of a familiar bell rang signaling to them that they had reached their destination. The two separated and exited the elevator. Rick was waiting outside Danny's suite. As Delinda and Ed approached the room Rick started to walk towards them handing Ed a key card to the suite.

"Thank you very much Rick." Ed said taking the key card while firmly shaking Rick's hand.

"Just make sure that Danny's ok" the man said still shaking Ed's hand. Ed turned towards Delinda.

"Sweetie I am gonna need you to wait out here for a minute." He said looking into her eyes

"Ok daddy." She said

Ed then slid the card into the slot and entered the dark room. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he came up behind Danny sitting in a chair looking at the sliding glass door facing the strip.

"Danny?" Ed said worriedly "You ok?" he questioned again

"What do you think? My fiancé to be just died two days after my entire squad." Danny barked at Ed.

"Woo, hold on a second and back up. why don't you start from the beginning." Ed said pulling up a chair sitting in the dark still in the dark.

"I told you earlier, I don't want to talk about it." He again barked

"Ok, then why don't you get some sleep and we will chat later." Ed said very calmly

"What are you deaf? I am not sleeping" Danny said still never looking directly at Ed

"Why?" Ed asked simply. Danny started to nod his head like he did when he was nervous. He then turned his head and looked Ed directly in the eyes for the first time since he entered the room.

"Because…" he started "because there is no one left to watch my back." He stated with his eyes starting to water. "They are all dead, all of them; every single one of them." He said still shaking his head and tightly griping the same assault rifle that he had used over there. "I had to call in an air strike right on top of us."

"Danny, you had no choice what so ever. You were being overrun and you absolutely had no choice." Ed said understandingly looking at Danny with his deep blue eyes. "Now why don't you go take a shower and get some sleep."

"Ed, what am I going to do without her? She was the only reason I got home. The thought of coming home to her and marrying her and raising a family with her was the only reason that I survived. I can't even bare the thought of two seconds without her, let alone an entire lifetime." Danny said now crying into his hands then lifting his head to the sound of the door opening. He went for his weapon, but Ed got to it first. Danny panicked when he realized that it was only Delinda. Ed looked at him and nodded his head telling him that it was alright. Danny ran over to Delinda in just his blood stained army pants and threw his arms around her.

"It's ok Danny. It's ok." She said again trying to sooth him as she did at the hospital. She stepped back out of their hug and walked him over to the bed. "Danny you need to get some rest. Now lie down." She said motioning towards the bed. Danny lied down and Delinda moved to exit the room.

"D" Danny called. "Don't leave stay here with me." Delinda turned back around and sat on the edge of the bed next to Danny. She laid her hand on his face. He then lifted his hand and rested it on top of hers. Taking his other hand he molded her to lay down with him.

Ed then walked in seeing his daughter lying in Danny's arms, both of them sleeping. Ed pulled the chair from the nearby desk and sat down watching them. He leaned his elbows on his knees whispering into the air.

"I'll watch your back son." He then leaned back in the chair and went to sleep. Delinda, who was not really asleep opened one eye to spot her father leaning back in the chair sleeping as a tear slipped out of the corner of her eye landing on Danny's arm. Suddenly his arm came around her wiping the tears from her face and then held her tight.

The two girls came running into Mystique towards Mike.

"Mike!?" Sam screamed with a horrible feeling in her stomach.

"Mike please tell me that God preformed a miracle." Nessa said running at him in her high heels.

"Girls I am so sorry…" Mike began. The girls ran into him collapsing into his arms crying hysterically over there friend. "They pronounced her dead as soon as she got in the ambulance.

"Oh god" the girls cried on the ground with Mike still holding them. Sam was clinging so tightly to Mikes arm he couldn't feel it anymore. After a few minutes of just laying on the floor crying the three employees got up and walked over to a table.

"Lieutenant McCoy, Lieutenant McCoy!" Danny could hear the voices, but it didn't match up with the picture he was seeing. "Mary, no Mary come back." He kept reaching for her, but her face kept getting farther and farther away no matter how far he reached. He suddenly shot straight up. He was soaked with sweat. He looked down at his side and didn't see Delinda. He then looked up and saw Ed sitting at the foot of the bed.

"You could here them huh? And you could see Mary?" Ed questioned looking at Danny with his soft blue eyes. Danny nodded and looked at Ed as if asking how he knew.

"Kid let me tell you a story." Ed started, moving closer to Danny.


	6. Chapter 6

The three Montecito employees all sat around a table in Mystique sobbing.

"I can't believe she's gone." Sam cried into her hands.

"I know" Mike said reaching over the table taking Sam's hand in his.

"Has anyone heard form Danny, Ed, or Delinda?" Nessa questioned trying to wipe away a few tears.

"No I have been trying to reach them ever since I heard about…" Mike stopped and looked down.

"It's ok, everything is going to be alright." Nessa said now reaching over the table to grab Mike's other free hand.

"Anyway I have been trying to reach them for the past hour and a half, but I am not getting an answer from either Delinda's or Ed's Cell." Mike stated

"Well did you try Danny's?" Sam asked

"Sam he came straight from the airport. He didn't take his cell with him to Iraq so he doesn't have it."

"Oh yeah I didn't even think about that. Wow you know how much pain he must be in. do you remember how he sorta freaked out when he first came back. What happened to him over there?" Sam asked

"I don't know." Mike replied "but whatever it was it must have been pretty bad to make him have a panic attack like that. You're right though to have experienced that and then come home and have your best friend die in your arms must be horrible." Mike said still looking at the floor.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"We were cut with no backup. I mean it was bad and then out of no where I was hit over the head. The next thing I knew I was in some kind of cellar tied to a chair. A man came down and talked to me about a few things and when I refused to do what he asked he brought me the worst thing that I had ever seen. He brought down a woman who looked like she had not changed her clothes in a few days. He brought her and sat her right in front of me. When I asked who it was the woman started to cry and I immediately knew who it was. The man lifted the bag off her head and it was Jillian. She had a few bruises. After a while the man took Jillian out of the room. When I wouldn't agree to do what he asked me I heard Jillian scream my name and a loud gun shot. After that I didn't hear her voice. I was devastated and then when I again refused his request he knocked me out cold. I was out for hours and the only thing I could see was Jillian's face and the voices of my troops yelling for me when I was being taken away.

Now I know that there is a huge difference between what happened to me and to you. What happened to you I know is a lot worse, but for a few hours I was in the same exact position that you are in now." Ed said putting a hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny looked up at Ed, his eyes filled with tears.

"Ed you felt like that for a few hours and were miserable. I have to feel like this for the rest of my life." Danny again lowered his head in misery. There was dead silence for a few moments and it was then broken by the sound of the door opening. Delinda walked through it with multiple bags in her hands. She came in the room where Danny and Ed were sitting and threw all of the bags on a near by desk.

"I think that I have food from just about every restaurant within a five block radius." She said with a sigh. "Now dig in, today's going to be a very long day." Danny looked over at Ed and the two got up and headed towards the desk. Delinda walked into the other room once she saw that Danny was ok for the moment and was eating. She then took out her cell phone and hit speed dial number six.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Mike Cannon." The bald African American answered the phone.

"Mike, it's Delinda." She said with a depressed tone

"Oh thank god. Where have you been? I have been trying to reach you for hours. Have you heard from Danny or Ed? Are they with you? Ed won't answer his phone and nobody even knew that Danny was back. Not even his dad."

"Mike…" Delinda started and was then rudely cut off by a rambling Mike.

"Delinda I had to break the news to his dad. It was horrible; please tell me you know where Danny is…" Mike kept going

"Mike…" Delinda again tried

"I mean he shouldn't be out by himself at a time like this." Mike continued to ramble

"MIKE!" Delinda shouted now walking into the hallway so that Danny couldn't hear her conversation with Mike. "Mike, Daddy and I have been with Danny ever since last night. Everything is fine at the moment or as fine as they can get." Delinda trailed off as the words escaped her mouth. There was a long pause. "…Mike…" Delinda started with a frog in her throat. "How is everybody doing there? I mean how did they take the news?" She asked with tears now streaming down her face.

"Delinda…" Mike started then paused to take a deep breath before letting a tear escape. "…it was horrible. The girls came running into Mystique and collapsed in my arms crying on the floor for ten minutes." Mike said now sitting at the bar with his head in his hand and tears falling down the sides of his cheeks.

"Oh god…" Delinda moaned crying harder than before. "I should have been there. I shouldn't have made you tell them." She cried.

"Delinda, don't you start thinking like that now. You have to be our rock. You were where you were needed most; with Danny. He is in so much pain right now. This is hard, on all of us. Now I know this is going to be difficult, but we are going to have to start thinking about funeral arrangements. Maybe Danny…" Mike was then cut off by Delinda.

"I know, it is going to be hard, but Danny knows that this had to be done and as soon as he is done eating we are going to head over to Daddy's." Delinda said taking charge of the situation.

"Ok good, because Mary deserves the best."

"I know Mike; I will keep in touch and let you know what's going on."

"Ok thanks." Mike said hanging up the phone.


	7. Chapter 7

Closing her phone Delinda turned around and walked back into the suite. As she walked in she saw Danny sitting at the desk next to Ed. They had been talking about something, whatever it was it was good. Danny had smiled briefly and Delinda glowed as soon as she saw the unmistakable smile. Danny was still in nothing but the blood stained army pants he had worn the night before. Delinda slowly walked over to the couch in the other room and pulled something out of a bag. As she walked over to Danny he stared at what she was holding."

"Danny…" she started.

"No." he said very quickly.

"Danny." She said walking over to him placing her hand on his cheek. "You need to change out of those pants." Handing him the pair of shorts, she moved her hand from his cheek to his bare back guiding him to the bathroom. Before entering he turned around to look at Delinda and Ed.

"Thanks." He said sincerely and then turned around and entered the bathroom closing the door behind him. Delinda then turned around to her father and threw her arms around him crying into his neck.

"Daddy what are we going to do? I can't bear to see him like this and Mary…" she started and then trailed off again. "…Mary… I just can't grasp the concept that she is gone." She said still crying into her father neck.

"I know." He said holding her tightly in his arms. As the two separated from their hug they heard the shower turn on and looked from the bathroom door to each other. "Thank god, that was faster then I expected. Then again I got to him three days late." Ed said with a relieved look on his face.

"I don't understand expected what?" she said, looking very puzzled.

"Most times when guys come back from over there and they experience something like that they go through a really hard time. Now I knew that Danny was going through something like that when he came back, but when this whole thing with Mary happened I didn't know how long it would take him to start to get back to the Danny we know. Then I thought to myself well Danny said he hadn't slept in three days so this had been going on before he came home to us, but still I didn't expect him to progress this rapidly. I think that you had a lot to do with that." He said putting a hand to Delinda's face. "Now I am not saying that when he steps out of that shower he will be back to normal, it's just the beginning, but this is a big step for him."

"Daddy…" Delinda looked at Ed with a look of sorrow in her eyes. "What happened to him over there?" Ed looked down at his feet well aware of the fact that Danny didn't want anyone to know what happened.

"When the time is right and Danny's ready to tell you, he will. You just have to give him some time." He said still not looking into Delinda's eyes.

"Daddy…" she said again. "…did you…" she started, her eyes filling with tears again. "…were you ever in a position like Danny was? I mean did you ever think that you weren't coming back home?" She said looking from Ed down to her feet. Ed's heart sank at the sight of his daughters face. He moved his hands to her face and lifted her head up so that he could look into her hazel eyes filled with tears. As he did so he could feel the tears begin to build up behind his own eyes. He then pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"…" there was a long pause as Ed tried not to let Delinda see him weeping. Ed pulled himself together and out of the hug. "I am not going to lie to you. There were times when I had to do things, as Danny did for example, that were just very dangerous. But I had something that was just a lot stronger then any weapon." He said not taking his gaze off of Delinda. She looked at him with a furrowed brow.

"I uh…I had this little girl back home with the love of my life and that just made me feel like I was bullet proof, and nothing was going to stop me from getting home to them." He said beginning to feel the tears build back up.

"Oh Daddy…" Delinda said crying again and throwing her arms back around Ed's neck. The two stood there in a deep hug for a few moments when the sound of a door opening caught Delinda's attention. Not letting Ed go she talked to Danny while looking over her fathers shoulder.

"Have a nice shower?" she asked sincerely.

"Yeah" Danny said looking at Ed and Delinda still engrossed in their hug. As he turned around to enter the other room Delinda pulled out of her hug and went after Danny. She came into the room as Danny was sitting down on a sofa pulling on a pair of ankle socks that had been sitting on the couch socks.

"How you doing?" she asked sitting down next to him putting a hand on his bare back. Danny turned to look into her eyes and then looked back down at his feet and shook his head. Delinda couldn't help but think how many times he had done this since he had come home. After a long pause Danny changed the subject to something that wouldn't involve much thinking.

"How did you get the shorts from my apartment?" He questioned. Delinda looked at Danny, smiled, and then replied.

"Daughter of a spy hello." She giggled.

"Oh right" Danny let another small smile escape.

"No but really I got the key from Daddy, the one you gave him before you left." She said in a more serious manner.

"Well I don't mean to be unthankful, but by any chance did you bring a shirt or some shoes to go with these shorts?" he said in a slight smart-alecky tone.

"Danny, this is Delinda you are talking to. I live for clothes. Of course I brought you a shirt and shoes." She said still smiling. She got up and walked over to a table in the corner of the room and pulled a shirt out of the bag and chucked it at Danny playfully.

"Thanks" he said letting out another smile while catching the shirt. Ed walked into the room hanging up his cell phone as Danny was putting his shirt on.

"Hey, how you doing?" Ed asked directing his question at Danny.

"I feel a little better now that I took a shower but…" Danny started and trailed off. He stopped putting his shoes on and just froze for a minute to look at Ed.

"I know" Ed said

"Well are you ready to get out of here?" he asked. Danny and Delinda both turned their heads to look at him as if asking where they were going.

"Well Delinda and I have to get changed and take a shower and you need to get some proper clothes and not just a pair of gym shorts." Ed answered reading the looks on their faces.

"Yeah then I guess I am ready." Danny said getting up from the sofa in a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt.

"Good, I just got off the phone with Jillian, she's expecting us." Delinda got up and started to head out of the room with Danny close behind. She then stopped abruptly and entered the bathroom getting the pants Danny had changed out of. Danny ran into the bathroom and grabbed the pants out of Delinda's hands, quickly searching through pockets for something.

"It's not here. Where the hell is it? Delinda did you take it? Where is it? I need that." Danny was rambling off questions and Delinda had no idea what he was talking about. He looked as if he was having another panic attack. He stormed out of the bathroom and started searching the room. It was then that Ed came back into the room to see what was going on.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" Ed asked Delinda still staring at a panicked Danny.

"He freaked out when I picked up his pants in the bathroom. He accused me of taking something. I don't what's going on." Delinda had an unsteady voice and had her arms crossed. As soon as the words left Delinda's mouth Ed rushed over to Danny in the bedroom.

"Ed I can't find it. I need it. Have you seen it?" Danny was spouting off questions again. Ed tried to grab Danny's shoulder with his hand.

"Danny…" Ed started but Danny brushed his grip off. "Danny" Ed said again using both hands to grab Danny this time. "Is this what you are looking for?" Ed said reaching into his packet and pulled out something that immediately caught Danny's attention.

"Oh thank God." Danny said grabbing the picture of him and Mary that he had carried with him all throughout his time in Iraq. "Where did you find it?" he looking relieved.

"It fell out of your pocket while you were sleeping. I saw it when you got up to take your shower this morning."

"Wait how did you know what I was talking about?" he asked looking puzzled.

"Buddy, I have been in your shoes. The one thing that you can hold on to over there is your family. I had a picture of Jillian and I holing Delinda after she was first born. I was so attached to that thing. I still have it actually. I carry it in my wallet. I get it." Ed clapped Danny on the back headed out of the room. The three of them made their way through the lobby to an employees exit to avoid any attention. They got out to the parking lot where Danny saw his bright yellow and black Camaro. He made his way over to the driver's side of his car and got in. Gripping the steering wheel tightly he looked to the passenger side to see Ed sitting there.

"What's the game plan?" Danny asked feeling a little more like himself now that he was in his car.

"Well Delinda's going to take my car and follow us back to my house where we'll get changed and then we're gonna go to your place and we'll play the rest by ear." He said giving Delinda the go ahead signal.

"How'd my car get here?" Danny asked looking puzzled.

"I had Mikey drop it off." He stated. "The three of us couldn't fit in the Aston Martin."

"Ok." Danny said putting the car into drive. There wasn't much said on the way to the Delines house. Danny just thought of Mary and how much Ed and Delinda had helped him get through this. Before he knew it they were pulling through the gates of the Delines property.

Danny put the car in park, shut off the engine, and got out of the car. As he stood up and stretched his legs he saw Jillian open the front door and run towards him. She threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank god you are ok, oh thank god, I am so sorry that I didn't get to say goodbye, oh Danny I am so sorry about Mary." She finally stopped rambling for a second and pulled out of her hug to get a good look at Danny, once she saw his eyes she pulled him back in for one more quick hug before pulling out and running over to Ed.

"Ed, he's back, he's back just like you said he'd be." She said

"Honey, I know I trained the kid remember." Ed said smiling holding his wife tightly in his arms. "Just like when I'd leave and I always told you that I'd be back and I always came back. You remember?"

"Yeah I remember" she said tightening her grip around him. Just then, as Ed and Jillian half let go of each other, Delinda pulled in, in the Aston Martin. She got out of the car and walked over to the group. Ed and Jillian walked into the house with their arms linked with Danny and Delinda close behind.

The four entered the home and went into the kitchen.

"Well I am going to go upstairs and get cleaned up. Delinda what are you going to do?" Ed said

"Well I guess I can use the downstairs shower. Oh and mom can you make something to eat? That bagel I had wasn't all that wonderful." She asked smiling.

"I know I thought the same thing." Danny said in agreement.

"Sure." Jillian said smiling as she watched her family disperse into the living room. It was just her and Danny now. Jillian turned around to get something out of the cupboard while Danny was sitting on a barstool at the breakfast bar. "What do you feel like Danny?" She asked

"Whatever you make will be fine." Danny replied politely.

"Well as nice as that is to hear, I am sure that there has been something that you have been craving while you were over there." She said smiling at him.

"Well, actually I have been craving eggs benedict and Ed and Delinda are always raving about how good yours is." He said smiling at her.

"See I knew there was something you were craving. When Ed used to come home from an assignment he would always have me make him pancakes. It didn't matter what time of day he got here it was always pancakes. That man always had a craving for pancakes." She said smiling while preparing the eggs benedict.

"I'm sure that's wasn't the only thing he had a craving for." Danny said playfully looking at Jillian. Surprised at the remark Jillian quickly looked up from what she was doing and giggled at Danny and snapped the dish rag at him jokingly.

"Danny! I can't believe you just said that." She said still laughing to herself.

"I know I know I am sorry." He said laughing to himself.

"What's all the laughing about in here? I could hear you guys from upstairs. Your not hitting on my lady are you Danny?" he said jokingly.

"No we were actually talking about…" there was a short pause and Jillian glanced over to Danny teasingly. Danny shook his head in a joking manner. Jillian made her way over to Ed and put her arms around his neck and hugged him. "We were talking about what he wanted to eat." She said finishing her sentence.

"Well the kid better have said pancakes because I am famished." He said pulling out of his hug and putting his hands to his stomach.

"Well he didn't. He wants eggs benedict and he's gonna get eggs benedict." She said walking by Danny putting a hand on his shoulder. "He's the one who has had to endure that horrible military food for the last six months." Ed looked at Jillian as if he was pouting.

"Aw look at that lip. Jillian I think he's gonna cry." Danny said teasing Ed.

"Oh yeah." Ed said walking over to Danny "How's this for pouting?" He said grabbing Danny in a head lock giving him a noogy

"Ok, ok" Danny shouted laughing. Ed then let Danny go and looked at Jillian who was staring at the both of them glowing.

"Don't worry I'm making pancakes too." She said to Ed still smiling to herself.

"Mom…" came Delinda's voice. Danny looked around and saw no Delinda.

Jillian turned around and walked over to the intercom by the fridge.

"Yeah" she said pressing in the button.

"What happened to those jeans that I left here? They aren't in my room." Delinda asked.

"Oh uh sorry I burrowed those. If you go into by closet they are sitting on the shelf nearest the door on your left." She replied and walked away. A few minutes later Delinda came walking into the kitchen. Looking towards the kitchen table she sighed in relief.

"Thank god. I am so hungry."

"Delinda it's ok honey. You don't have to refer to me as god." She said smiling at Delinda.

"Ha ha, good one." Delinda said in a smart mouth tone but still joking.

"Ok well now that we are all here can we eat?" Ed asked impatiently. As soon as the words left Ed's mouth a phone rang. Ed sighed and sat down at the table.

"Eddie that's your phone." Jillian said pointing towards the lit up phone on Ed's belt.

"I know I'm hoping that if I just ignore it, it will go away." He said taking his knife and fork into his hands. Danny laughed as he was sitting down next to Ed at the table.

"You know I don't think that I have ever seen you ignore a phone call before." Danny stated.

"You know what I have been married to you for thirty years and I don't think that I have ever seen you not answer your phone either. What's wrong? Do feel ok?" Jillian question playfully as she walked over serving Ed with two pancakes then putting her hand to his forehead.

"It's just Mike. I'll call him after we eat." Ed said smiling at his wife.

"Here you go Danny. Eggs benedict, just like you asked." She said laying down a plate in front of him.

"This looks delicious. Thank you Jillian."

"No problem." She answered back. She made her way over to her seat lying down a plate of eggs benedict in front of Delinda on the way and then sitting down in her own chair with a plate of pancakes. "Oh shoot I forgot the milk." She said sounding tired.

"I'll get it." Both Ed and Danny said simultaneously getting up from the table. Delinda and Jillian just sat at the table smiling at the two of them. Realizing what they had done the two froze smiling.

"I'll get it Ed. Just sit down." Danny said to Ed who was looking like he was debating whether or not to argue with him over Danny telling him to sit down. Finally he gave up and sat down. Danny fully pushed back his chair and walked over to the fridge grabbing both the milk and the orange juice.

Sitting down he put both on the table. "Delinda you don't like milk right?" he said passing her the orange juice."

"That's right." She said taking the carton of juice from Danny.


	8. Chapter 8

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"God dang it! Why the hell haven't we heard from Ed or anybody?" Sam shouted as she approached Nessa in pit five.

"I don't know, but I am really starting to get worried. Mike would tell us if he heard from them wouldn't he?" Nessa asked the question, more directed at herself then Sam. Sam looked at her with a face full of doubt and attitude.

"Come on, we are going to find dork number two." She said turning around heading towards the nearest door marked 'Employees Only'. As the two made their way down the long hallway Mike came barreling around a corner.

"Hey, hey, hey, where are you off to? Have you heard from Ed?" Sam asked not caring about the look that Mike was giving her.

"Sam if you haven't noticed I am a little busy at the moment." Mike said brushing by her.

"Mike is there something wrong with Danny?" Nessa chirped in. Mike turned around to look at Nessa.

"No Danny's fine for the moment I don't have time to fill you in. I have two card cheats at pit six and a guy with a monkeys paw at the slots. Meet me in Mystique in twenty minutes and I'll fill you in." Mike said walking away in a hurry.

"ugh I hate when he does that!" Sam shouted sounding very flustered. "You know what screw this, I am not going to wait around for Mike to tell us what's up I'm just going to try and call Ed." Sam stated flipping open her cell phone. Hitting the speed dial number two she raised the phone to her ear and heard the phone ring. "Dang-it Ed pick up your phone." She said talking to herself pacing back and forth. Nessa just stood back and watched her friend practically ware a whole in the floor.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Ed tossed down his knife and fork putting his hands to his stomach.

"I am stuffed." He said looking at his wife across the table. "Thank you for breakfast sweetie."

"Yeah thank you Mrs. D." Danny chimed in.

"Danny that is the tenth time you have thanked me for breakfast today and you know you can call me Jillian." She said smiling reaching over and placing a hand on his to let him know she was only having fun.

"Daddy your phone's vibrating." Delinda said pointing to the flashing phone on Ed's belt. Looking down at the caller ID Ed saw Sam's number.

"Well this is the second call in half an hour I guess I should get this one." Ed said picking up the phone. "Hello."

"Oh finally, where are you? Why haven't you been answering your phone? What's up with Danny is he ok?" Sam began to rattle off questions, much like everyone else had done at least once over the past two days.

"Whoa. Whoa, whoa Sam, slow down. Danny's fine, he's here with me."

"Well why haven't you been answering your phone? You always answer your phone." She asked starting to calm down.

"What is with everyone and my phone? I was eating breakfast with my family if that's alright with you?" Ed said sarcastically.

"Wait I thought you said that Danny was with you." Sam said with a perplexed look on her face.

"Yeah, like I said before, I was eating breakfast with my family." Ed said looking at Danny. Danny looked back only hearing one side of the conversation.

"Oh, well what are we going to do about Mary's arrangements?" She asked looking to her feet for the twentieth time that day.

"Danny and I will take care of it. Don't worry about it. How's Mike handling things? He's never been left in charge by himself before."

"I don't know talk to Nessa." She said quickly handing the phone over to her friend and then walked away.

"What was all that about?" Ed asked confused, wondering if he said something wrong.

"She's pretty worked up about Mary. She keeps trying to hide it, but that's not working out well for her."

"Yeah I know, I have the same problem on this end." Ed said obviously hinting towards Danny. "Anyway how's Mike handling things, any problems?"

"Well he just rushed by saying something about card counters and a monkeys paw, but he had it all under control, plus Mitch and the guys are helping."

"Ok good, if you need anything or you think Mike gets in over his head you call and let me know."

"Ok, I'll talk to you later pops."

"Ok, thanks Ness." Ed said hanging up the phone. By this time Delinda had gotten up from the table and went to pack the clothes she was wearing the night before. Jillian had already cleared the table was now rinsing off the dishes and handing them to Danny who was placing them in the dish washer.

Jillian turned around briefly to see her husband watching them.

"You know Ed you could learn a few things from Danny." She said teasingly.

"What? I help with the dishes." He said defensively.

"Yeah, but look Danny actually loads the dish washer correctly. You just throw everything in there. Where did you pick that up?" she said looking towards Danny.

"Oh, when we were kids Mary would come over and cook me breakfast, but she would always make me do the dishes. She still…" Danny stopped in his tracks and set down the plate. He quickly looked at Ed and Jillian and then walked briskly out of the room to the backyard. Ed made his way over to Jillian and wrapped his arms around her. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and followed after Danny.

Opening the door to the backyard Ed looked to his right and saw Danny standing by the pool. The older man made his way over to Danny and placed a hand on his tall shoulder. 

"Danny it's ok to talk about her. Mary was a huge part of your life."

"Ed I was going to propose. I had the ring, all I had to do was meet her at her house after work." Ed was still positioned behind Danny.

"Danny…I am so sorry. I know that it is painful to talk about her right now, but we need to start making arrangements." Danny was still looking down at his feet and started to shake his head again.

"Ed I am not ready for that."

"Danny, nobody's ready for something like this, but it needs to be done. Now if you'd like I can have Sam and Nessa…" Danny started to shake his head more insistently now.

"NO, I'll do it."

"That's what I thought. Now what do you want to do. Do you want to make the arrangements from here, the Montecito, your apartment, or what?"

"I don't care, we could do it from here I guess." The two walked back into the house. Ed looked up to see Jillian and Delinda talking at the table. Ed motioned for Danny to sit down at the table near them as he walked through the living room and into his office to get his laptop. Before closing it something caught his eye. His inbox had been up on the screen and there were several emails from one Ed sat down in his chair and put his head to his hands. Someone came walking into the room, but at the moment he didn't care. Luckily for Ed it was only Jillian, if it were Danny it would only cause him more pain and if were Delinda, well he just didn't like feeling vulnerable around her. With Jillian everything was right.

"Are you ok, you have been in here for awhile?" She said walking over behind her husband and placing her hands on his shoulders. She then peered over to look at the computer screen and saw what had caught Ed's attention. "Oh Ed I am so sorry, things like that are going to happen a lot right now." She said resting her head against his.

"I know, it just startled me that's all." He said getting up from his chair.

"Ed, it's alright to feel this way." She said giving him a sincere look.

"I know, but I can't let Danny see me like this. Right now I think the only thing that's holding him together is us being here for him."

"Yeah I know, but that doesn't mean that you have to hide it from me." Ed knew she was right and put his arms around her to give her a hug. Jillian always knew what to say to him and how to calm him down and vise versa. The two stood there for a moment engrossed in their hug while Ed thought how lost he would feel if anything had ever happened to Jillian. He then tightened his grip around her and let her go. Grabbing his laptop he put his arm around Jillian and vacated the room.

As the two walked into the kitchen Danny and Delinda were sitting at the table with a pad and paper.

"Well Danny and I have already decided on a few things. He's picked out a funeral home, the cemetery, and where we are going to have the celebration of life." Delinda said listing off some things that she had written down on her notepad.

"Roses." Danny said simply and quietly.

"What?" Jillian asked sympathetically.

"The flowers, they have to be roses."

"Ok" Delinda said adding it to her list.

"Do you have a specific reverend that you would like me to call?" she asked. Ed and Jillian began to sit down now.

"um, no I don't think so. Do you guys know one that would be good?" he said looking towards Ed and Jillian.

"Um, yeah actually Reverend Sykes is a really good guy." Ed said

"He actually christened Delinda." Jillian chimed in.

"ok then what else do we need to know?" Danny asked not wanting to focus on this anymore.

"Well there are two more things I can think of." Delinda said very slowly. "We need to pick out what she is going to where and we need to notify the people that you would like to come to the funeral and let them know the time and place."

"Yeah ok, well there is a black dress that she has, I can't describe it. I'll go over and pick it up later and I'll make the list of people throughout the day." He said getting up from the table and going back out to the backyard. The three Delines sat around the table and just watched Danny exit the room. They could see him standing at the edge of the pool just staring. Ed started to get up when Jillian tugged on his arm.

"Eddie just let him be."

Delinda was still watching Danny intently when she saw him begin to move. "Daddy." She said not quite yelling, but loud enough to sound alarmed. Ed turned around to see Danny kick off his shoes and tear off his sweatshirt and jump in the pool. Danny began to do laps in the pool with the whole fancy turn around kick thing the kids on the swim team do.

"He's fine, he just needs to clear his head." Ed said taking in a deep breath.

The three of them sat back down and began to put Danny's wishes for Mary in order. After about an hour Delinda got up from the table and walked out to the pool. At first he didn't even realize she was there but when he finally came up for a breath he saw her out of the corner of his eye.

"You're like a fish. I don't think you have come up for air the entire time." She said smiling at him.

"Yeah I love to swim. Mary and I used to sneak into the hotel pool areas when we were kids." He said smiling at first, but the smile quickly faded.

"Where did you learn to swim like that?" Delinda asked slightly changing the subject.

"Wha…oh I was on the swim team in high school." He replied quickly.

"Really I had you pegged as a varsity football guy." She said smiling again. Danny was now leaning on the side of the pool.

"Yeah I played JV football for a year and varsity football for three, but I was on the swim team too."

"Really, I would never have guessed that about you." Danny began to get out of the pool. "I have always wanted to learn how to do those fancy, turn, under water, things that you were doing." She said giving Danny a towel that she had brought out with her.

"Yeah, well if you go get changed I'll teach you." Danny said

"That's really nice of you, but the pool hasn't been heated. It's probably freezing." She said wrapping her hands around herself.

"Oh my god, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. It's the middle of summer and you won't get in the pool because it hasn't been heated." He said laughing.

"What, why is that funny?" She said laughing a little herself.

"Just go and get changed." He said still laughing to himself.

"No, it'll be freezing."

"Oh yeah." He said stepping forward to push her into the pool. Danny's sudden movement startled her and she outstretched her arms dragging him into the pool with her. As the two came up for air they gazed into one another's eyes for a moment and Delinda moved in for a kiss. Two seconds after their lips touched Ed and Jillian came walking out into the backyard to see their daughter and Danny kissing in the pool. At first the two didn't notice the older couple, when suddenly they split apart when they heard the sound of Jillian clearing her throat.

Danny looked at the two and got out of the pool hurriedly. He walked out of the pool area and over to the edge of the Delines property. Delinda, embarrassed that she tried to kiss a man who just lost his fiancé, quickly got out of the pool and ran into the house.

"Jesus, what the hell was that?" Ed was now pacing back and forth.

"Eddie, he just lost the love of his life and Delinda has been helping him through it. Just calm down, plus you know that you like Danny and Delinda together." She said smiling at him. Ed looked at her with a surprised look on his face, although he knew he shouldn't be surprised she could always tell how he was feeling or what he was thinking.

"Yeah well I know but…"

"but what? Danny's going through a hard time right now and he doesn't know _how_ he's feeling. You're just going to have to understand that." She said holding on to one of Ed's arms.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Oh my god what the hell was I thinking? I'm such an idiot; I can't believe I just did that. Wait a minute he kissed me back." Delinda was talking to herself in a very jumpy state. She didn't know what to make of this. She would never have gone after Danny if Mary were alive. Why all of a sudden was she falling for him? She couldn't answer any of these questions and she was panicking. She had to admit, she was falling for him; his tall dark body, his dark brown hair, and the way he made you feel like you were the only person on the earth when you looked into his eyes. She still couldn't get over the fact that Mary hadn't been gone for more then a day and she felt like she was moving in on her turf; although Mary did tell her to take care of him. Is that what she had meant? Not to mention Danny was there too and he wasn't all that innocent he kissed her back. Delinda franticly shook her head to get rid of all the thoughts that had been streaming in and out.

"you ok?" a voice came from the doorway that nearly scared her death. She swiftly turned around to see her mother leaning against the wall. Relieved that it was only her and not Danny or worse her father, she collapsed on the bed sinking her head into her hands.

"Oh mom, what was I thinking?" Jillian smiled and walked over and sat down on the bed next to her daughter.

"You like him huh?" Jillian asked putting an arm around the young woman. Delinda took her hands off of her face to look at her mother and shook her head yes.

"Ugh, I don't want to like him. He just lost Mary and there's a rumor going around he was going to propose, I can't do this to Mary."

"Sweetie, Mary told you to take care of Danny and if I am not mistaken she also told him not to sit around for the rest of his life. Now granted I don't think she had in mind for him to move on the day after she died, but it is ok to have feelings for Danny and I saw the way he was looking at you he has feelings for you underneath all the hurt he is going through right now. You just have to take things slow." Delinda nodded her head in understanding and leaned over to hug her mom. "Now why don't you go and change AGAIN, and meet us downstairs."

"Yeah ok." Delinda said getting up from her bed heading towards the bathroom. As she shut the door Jillian made her way out of the room and headed downstairs. She made her way through the living room and into the kitchen where she looked out the window into their backyard. She could see Ed out towards the edge of the property talking to Danny as the two looked out over the strip. It looked to be a serious conversation but got lighter when Danny playfully hit Ed on the arm. They turned around to come back in smiling the whole way. The two men came in laughing and Danny took his seat on the stool at the breakfast bar.

"What are you two laughing about?" Jillian asked mysteriously.

"Nothing." Ed said rather quickly.

"Yeah right, nothing, what he said." Danny said looking at Ed.

Jillian turned to look at them after putting a cup in the sink and saw a tattoo that Danny had on the upper left portion of his chest. She leaned in a little closer to look at it.

"See Ed you need to get back to the Gym your wife can't get enough of this." Danny said motioning towards his own physique. The older man turned around seeing what Danny was talking about. Jillian smiled to herself and glanced at her husband.

"Ed doesn't need to go to the gym, he is perfect just the way he is. I was actually looking at the tattoo you have. It is similar to the one Ed has on his arm." Danny looked down at his chest and then over to Ed.

"The kid idolizes me so much he had to get a matching one." Ed said casually and then couldn't keep a straight face and burst out into laughter.

"No, but really it was something I got before I was deployed the first time. I got this one too." He said reaching over and pointing to the one on his right arm.

"yeah I see that. This one just caught my eye because it's so similar to Ed's." Just then Delinda came walking into the kitchen.

"Ok well now that I have freshened up for the second time today thanks to Danny I am ready."

"Ready for what?" Ed asked confused.

"Well now that we have most of the arrangements done we have to go over to the hotel, pick up Danny's things, put some of the arrangements in place, and…talk to Mike, Sam, and Nessa." She said her voice starting to fade.

"Yeah ok, but I'll have to meet you guys there." Danny said clearly not giving out the reason why.

"Why?" Ed asked not caring about Danny's privacy.

"I have to stop by my dad's house." He said quietly.

"Ok then Delinda and I will take my car over to the hotel, Danny you take your car, go over to your dads, and then meet us at the casino." Ed said throwing Danny his shirt and shoes that he had brought in earlier.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Danny had gotten in his car and headed into town. He had lost sight of Ed's car some time ago and pulled off to the side of the dirt road. Shutting the car off, he hit the steering wheel and collapsed his head into his hands crying like a baby. "Why did this happen? Why did you leave me? What was I thinking in the pool?" Danny was so confused and felt like he was loosing control of everything; his emotions, Mary, his job that he hadn't gone back to yet. Everything was falling apart. Ed and his family had been there for him, especially Delinda, but he just felt like there were things he was feeling that no one else would understand. At the moment he knew he had to pull himself together and go see his dad. He hadn't talked to him yet, but he did know that someone would have called and told him about Mary. That's just how his friends were; they always took care of each other no matter how much crap they dished out.

Taking the sleeve of his sweatshirt he wiped the tears from his eyes and turned the key in the ignition. It was a matter of minutes before Danny was at his Dads house, where Danny and Mary had spent so much of their childhood. Before he could turn the car off the front door opened and his father was standing in the doorway. His face was stained with tears, as was Danny's. Danny rushed out of the car and over to his dad. He threw is arms around him, Larry doing the same, and just stood there. He hadn't felt this close to his father since…since they rebuilt his mother's car.

The two walked into the house wordlessly. After two minutes of awkward silence Larry finally spoke.

"How are you holding up?"

"As good as can be expected." Danny replied hoarsely.

The two men sat and talked on and off for the next two hours mostly about Mary and the funeral arrangements. Anytime Larry would try to bring up anything about what happened to Danny over in Iraq there was a long awkward pause. After a few tries he gave up and stuck to talking about Mary. The hardest decision they had to make was about Mary's father. After an intense ten minute conversation they came to an agreement to tell her father, but not to let him attend the service. Danny didn't want to have anything to do with him, he knew what he did to Mary and after that he was no longer her father.

Shortly after their decision Danny got up and said his goodbyes. He was now supposed to go over and meet Ed and Delinda at the hotel, but he had one more stop to make before doing so. A few stop lights and turns later he was there, he pulled up and sat in the car for a moment. He then got out and saw Delinda leaning against the side of her car.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked confused and perplexed.

"I figured that you'd come here and I didn't think you should do it on your own." She said placing a hand on his back. Danny nodded his head and took out the key to Mary's duplex. The two entered getting a whiff of Mary's sent. At first it startled the tall marine, but he then saw a picture of the two of them on her nightstand and walked over to her bed. Delinda stood back to give Danny his privacy. Picking the picture up with one hand he picked the pillow on her bed up with the other. He brought the pillow to his face taking in a deep breath of her perfume. As he went to put the pillow back down something caught his eye. He pulled back the covers of her bed to find the t-shirt he had left there the night he left.

Delinda had now made her way over to see what Danny was focusing on and as her eyes came across Danny's shirt a tear fell from her eye.

Smiling, Danny got up and made his way over to the closet. He opened it searching through obviously looking for something, when he suddenly stopped and pulled out a knee-long, black, dress. Going back a few dresses he found a dress bag hanging on a hanger. He then pulled it out and placed the dress in the bag. He placed the bag down on the bed and looked up to see Delinda looking at him with tears streaming down her face. Danny quickly walked over to her embracing her in a warm hug. She sobbed in his arms for a few moments and then pulled out.

"I'm sorry." She said still crying.

"Sorry for what? You and your family have helped me through a very difficult time. You have nothing to be sorry for." He said with her face in his hands.

"I came here to help you, not to start bawling and upset you."

"You're not upsetting me. Actually it's comforting to see someone else cry besides myself." He said reassuringly then pulling her back in for another hug. "Now let's get this dress back to the hotel and meet up with your dad." He said grabbing the dress and leading Delinda out of the house." As he turned around to lock the door he took in one more look at Mary's home. Taking in a deep sigh, he shut the door.

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

"Hey Julie, how are you doing?" Ed asked walking into Mystique.

"I am ok I guess, we are all taking this pretty hard. How are you doing?" she said mournfully.

"I am as good as can be expected." He said nodding his head. After a short pause he decided to change the subject. "Have you seen Delinda?" he asked.

"No, I thought that she would be with you." Julie answered slightly alarmed.

"Wait you mean she's not here?"

"No, I have not seen her all day." Ed turned around and walked briskly out of the restaurant. He must have pushed a dozen people aside while he was barreling through the casino. He finally got to the lobby and was about to exit the front doors towards his car when he saw Delinda walking in with Danny. Stopping, the older man took in a deep sigh of relief. He wasn't quite sure what he was worried about, but now that she was standing in front of him he felt a lot better.

Calming down, he casually walked over to the two. "Hey, where did you get off to? I was just looking for you. Nowhere, I just went to help Danny with a few things. Why what's wrong?" she said starting to sound a little alarmed.

"Nothing's wrong, I was actually coming to see if you had heard from Danny, but obviously you had." Ed said "What's that?" Ed questioned pointing towards the dress bag Danny had been carrying.

Delinda opened her mouth to answer, but Danny said it before she could.

"It's Mary's dress." He said grabbing a hold of it tighter.

Ed shook his head walking over to Danny and gesturing a hand to one of the employee doors.

"Shall we go upstairs?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

As Mitch was hard at work trying to identify the card cheat at blackjack thirty-eight the phone next to him would not stop ringing.

"Hello!" he answered irritably.

"Mitch, it's Mike. Have you seen the girls by any chance? They were supposed to meet me in Mystique and they never showed."

"No I have not. Oh and before I forget Ed's looking for you."

"Wait, what Ed's here?" Mike asked a little confused

"Yeah, has been for a couple hours." Mitch said casually.

"Mitch! Why would you neglect to tell me something like that?"

"I don't know Mike, maybe because I have been doing three million other things for you." He barked. Mitch finally looked up from the computer screen and up at the surveillance monitors. "Mike!" he half shouted.

"What?" Mike questioned a little startled.

"Mike, Danny's here."

"What?! Where?!" Mike asked a little excited.

"Umm…"

"Where is he Mitch?"

"Uhh…looks like the lobby." That was all Mike had to hear. He hung up the phone and took off through the casino towards the front of the hotel. Once he finally reached his destination he didn't see his friends. Looking around he saw the employee's entrance to the maintenance hallways.

"Mike." Sam yelled at him while he was running towards the doors. "Where are you going?"

"Danny's here."

"What? Why wouldn't you tell me this?" she asked running behind Mike in her high heels.

Once Mike opened the door to the hallway he saw Ed, Delinda, and Danny about to turn the corner. Sam was right behind him.

"Danny!" Sam yelled getting a glimpse of him. The three stopped and turned around to see Mike and Sam running towards them. Danny started to walk at them when Delinda took the dress from him. Mike reached him first and brought Danny in with one arm giving him a good guy hug. Then the sound of Sam's heels were getting closer and Mike moved aside.

Sam looked into Danny's eyes and flew into his arms. "Danny I am so sorry." She said starting to cry. Danny tightened his grip around her and then walked her to Ed's office where the five of them sat quietly. After about five minutes Nessa walked in slowly and quietly. Although she was not crying at the moment her face was red, she had obviously been crying before she entered the room. She made her way over to Danny and embraced him in a hug.

Mike, Sam, and Nessa had all been shocked at how well Danny seemed to be handling things; they had not seen him break down. The Delines had seen their fair share, but they were not about to share that with anyone. After a few minutes Nessa spoke up.

"Have you…made any arrangements? Because if not Sam and I would gladly take care of it."

"No, Delinda and I sat down earlier and took care of most of it, but thank you for the offer."

"Don't hesitate to ask for anything Danny." Sam said putting a hand on his knee.

"Thanks Sam, you're starting to sound like your talking to one of your whales." He said laughing.

"Sorry, it's a habit." She said smiling to herself. "hey I have to run I have a real whale downstairs, but I am serious if you need anything just ask. We are all here for you." She said hugging him again and then exiting through the side entrance.

"Yeah I have to go too, I left Sonia in charge and her lunch started twenty minutes ago." Nessa said patting Danny on the back.

"I hate to say it, but me three. I asked Mitch to check up on a few things and he started crying. So I should probably go check on him." Mike said jokingly.

Again, it was left to just the Delines and Danny. He didn't really care, he felt comfortable around them. Ed was sitting at his desk while Delinda and Danny were sitting at a table in the corner of the office. She pulled out a manila folder and placed it on the table.

"Are you ok to talk about a few more things." she asked

"Yeah, go ahead." Danny said confidently

"Ok, I called a few people and I have made arrangements for the funeral to be held at 11:00 at the cemetery you requested; after we will all come back here for a celebration of life. Does that sound ok?"

"Yeah that sounds perfect. You ordered the roses right?"

"Yeah, they will be at both the funeral and celebration of life."

"Thank you Delinda. This really means a lot and I know Mary would have appreciated it too."

"It's no problem Danny, really."

By this time it was about four o'clock, Danny had stopped at his apartment before going to his dad's house to change into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, so he wasn't looking like a hoodlum. After thirty more minutes of funeral talk the two decided to take a brake and go for a walk. It had been a few years since Danny had just taken a stroll down the strip. The two talked about various things, nothing really important just making conversation to lighten the mood. An hour later they returned back to the hotel and made their way back up to Ed's office where they found both Ed and Jillian.

"Are you guys ready?" Ed asked

"For…?" Delinda questioned

"Dinner, the four of us are going to Mystique." Jillian answered.

"Oh uh, I am not really dressed to go to Mystique. All I have on is jeans and a t-shirt."

"It doesn't matter; I had Ed shut down the restaurant especially for us tonight. So come on." Jillian said motioning for the two to get a move on.

"Ok." Danny said compliantly.

The four walked down to the restaurant where there was only one table set. As they all sat talking about miscellaneous things the thought of Mary kept popping into Danny's head. It wasn't that he disliked thinking of her, it was the pain that came along with those thoughts that he disliked. Delinda, sitting next to him, noticed the distant look on his face, but didn't comment on it. She knew exactly what was going through his mind. She was thinking about the same thing. Everyone was thinking of Mary and mourning for her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

'How long is it going to be like this? I mean, I miss Mary and I hate that this happened, but the pain that everyone is going through is just horrible. Honestly I don't really care about how anyone else is feeling right now, I jut can't stand to see Danny like this. He is normally the rock we can all lean on. Him and daddy anyway, he was there earlier though when I broke down at Mary's. Is he getting back to normal or is he bottling it all up?' these were just a few of the thoughts that kept racing through her head, that is until her mother caught her off guard.

"What do you think Delinda?" Jillian asked referring to the conversation she been having with Ed and a Danny who hadn't really been listening.

"Oh yeah I agree." Delinda replied hoping her mother would just take the response and not go into more detail. Right when Jillian went to ask more questions the waitress came up from behind her with their food. Saved by the bell Delinda looked back over to Danny who had been brought out of his trance by the smell of the food.

'Thank god I am so hungry; I wonder where I am going to sleep tonight. Should I go and sleep at Mary's or do I go and spend a night in my own bed? Why am I thinking of this I have food in front of me, real food, a nice big juicy steak. Why am I describing it? Just eat it all ready.' Danny was thinking to himself. Picking up his knife and fork he began to devour his steak.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

As Mike walked through the casino we kept glancing over his shoulder expecting something to happen. The day had been fairly quiet, aside from your typical card counter, there wasn't really anything going on, which was unusual for the hotel. Granted they had had enough drama in the last few days to last them the whole year as far as he was concerned. He came to the end of the casino; he had made it all the way from end to end and nothing had happened. 'Maybe I am just a little jittery from last night.' Mike told himself, but he still couldn't shake the feeling. Mike then turned to walk up a flight of stairs. As he reached the balcony he stopped and peered over the casino looking for any sign of trouble. Not seeing any, he twirled around and headed back down the stairs making his way over to the nearby bar.

"Hey Wendy, can I get a sprite? Just put it on my tab."

"Sure Mike." The tall slender woman replied with a smile. "Here you go." She said sliding the drink over to him on a napkin.

"thanks." He said downing the soda.

"Hey playa." Sam said as she walked up the two stairs into the bar. "What are you doing?"

"Actually I was going to run over and have Gunther whip up a quick salad for me. Why? What do you want?"

"Now what makes you think that I want something? Why can't I just come over to see how my friend is doing?" Sam asked defensively.

"Because Samantha Jane, when you want something you always refer to me as either 'Playa' or 'Michael'." Mike said looking into her eyes for some kind of tell.

"Ok fine, I have a whale and he needs to be approved for a line of credit." She said kicking herself for being so easily read.

"How much?" Mike questioned shrugging his shoulders.

"$100,000." She muttered.

"Fine, I'll have to get approval from Ed."

"Yeah, yeah whatever, just let me know when it's been approved." She said quickly patting him on the shoulder and rushing off with her cell phone in her hand.

"I am still getting my salad first." Mike shouted after her as if she would care. "Whatever." Mike said to himself throwing his hands into the air. Turning around he rushed over to Mystique realizing just how hungry he really was. Once he opened the doors to the restaurant he saw Ed, Danny, Jillian, and Delinda all sitting around a table.

"Hey Mikey, what are you doing here?" Ed said smiling and laughing at something they had been talking about.

"Umm…I came in to get a quick bite to eat." He said a little startled at the fact that they all seemed to be having a good time. Not that it was bad it just shocked him.

"Yeah, is everything going ok?" he asked still a bit concerned about the fact that he had left Mike in charge for so long on his first solo mission.

"Yeah, yeah I just haven't eaten all day so I came in to get a quick salad. Oh and before I forget Sam asked me for a line of credit approval for $100,000. I told her I would have to clear it with you first." Mike said hoping that he didn't relay any wrong information.

"$100,000, for who?" Deline asked thinking that it better be someone who is worth it.

"Mr. Herman." Mike replied.

"Oh yeah, ok. No problem, call it down to the cage and approve it."

"Ok, thanks Mr. D, I'll talk to you guys later." He said waving goodbye, mainly to Danny.

"Well I am pretty sure that was the best steak I have ever had." Danny said starting a conversation.

"Yeah, my meal was pretty good too." Delinda said putting down her fork in her salad bowl. Danny looked down at his watch.

"What time is it?" Jillian asked.

"Quarter to seven." Danny replied.

"Wow, why did we eat so early?" Jillian again questioned.

"I don't know. I tried to tell you to go later, but you were hungry so we went." Ed said to his wife. Jillian turned her head towards her husband giving him a dirty look. "Anyway let's get out of here." Ed said not making eye contact with Jillian and getting up from the table in a hurry. Danny giggled to himself. Jillian was the only one that could make Ed squirm and Danny found that hysterical to watch. "What are you laughing at?" Deline questioned looking over towards Danny.

"Nothin." Danny said simply shrugging his shoulders. Ed started towards Danny, but Jillian pulled him back by his arm smiling. The four got up from the table and made their way out of the restaurant and stopped just outside the doors. "So what are we doing tomorrow?" Danny questioned. Delinda looked to her mom and then to Danny.

"Well, the four of us need to meet up before we head over to the church. So do you want to stay over at Daddy's, or do you want to stay at your place…?"

"No, I can stay at my place, but where do you want to meet?"

"Umm…meet us at Daddy's at ten and then we can all head over to the church from there." Delinda said looking deep into Danny's eyes.

"Ok." Danny said looking at his feet and nodding his head up and down. From there they all hugged and said their goodbyes for the night. But when it came to Ed, Ed put his arms around Danny and whispered.

"If you need anything just call me." He then pulled out and patted Danny on the shoulder.

"Thanks, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Danny said backing up and turning towards the doors. As he came into the valet parking lot he spotted his car and hopped in without opening the door. Once he turned on the car and had it in gear he sped off out of the parking garage. It was only a matter of minutes before he was back at Mary's. When he got to the front door and slipped the key into the lock he took in a deep breath. As he opened the door he closed his eyes. A few seconds later he opened his eyes half expected to see her; standing by the counter smiling at him with a look of sincerity in her eyes. But when he opened them and she wasn't there it was as if he had lost her all over again. Bending over he put his hands on his knees to take a breather. Half pulling himself together he straightened back up and pulled the key out of the door and shut it behind him. Walking further into the house he made his way over to the bedroom. Sitting at the foot of the bed he stared off just thinking of what the next few months were going to be like, then the next year, then the rest of his life. Leaning back onto the bed he closed his eyes fading into a pit of darkness.

He had only been asleep for an hour or two when the dreams started. It was similar to the one that he had the night before. The roles changed in this one, this time he could see his troops, their faces as they were brutally killed, but he couldn't hear them. Instead he could hear Mary calling for him. The same scenes played over and over with Mary calling for him, unable to wake from his nightmare he shook terribly in a pool of sweat. Suddenly he shot up waking from his nightmare. As he came to his senses he looked to the clock on her nightstand. He started to relax once he saw that the clock only read 7:00 am. He then got up and rushed out to his car. He sat and recalled what went on in his dream. Shaking his head from all of the thoughts that had been racing in and out he drove off to his apartment.

Once he had parked in the familiar parking lot he got out and walked over to the double doors that led to the lobby of his building. Taking the elevator to the twenty-first floor he began to feel nervous. Not quite sure why he felt this way he shook off the goose bumps that had developed on his arms. He then opened the door to his apartment and walked in. He knew he couldn't stay for too long, but it still felt good to be home. He then walked into his bedroom and searched through his closet for his black suite. Grabbing the hanger the suit was on, he through it onto his bed. Turning back around to the closet he pulled out a long sleeved, white, dress shirt and tossed that on the bed with the suite. Going back a few more hangers he came to his ties. He then pulled out the black one and turned towards the bed when something caught his eye, the blinking red light on his answering machine. Slowly walking over he pressed the play button.

"Hey Danny it's Mary. I know that you are not home because you just left my house for the airport, but I just needed to hear you voice." She was crying. "I am going to miss you so much. Come back to me Danny… Well I probably sound like a crazy person talking to an empty house, but you will probably get a few more messages like this until you come home." She hung up the phone and Danny collapsed onto his bed sinking his head into his hands crying again.

"I CAME BACK!!! AND NOW SHE'S GONE!!! WHY WOULD YOU TAKE HER FROM ME?" Danny screamed taking the lamp on the night stand and throwing against the wall. "WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU? WHY WOULD YOU PUT ME THROUGH ALL THAT AND THEN TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME TOO? WHY?" Danny was still screaming. The answering machine was still going with the other messages that she had left. There must have been at least fifteen, all saying pretty much the same thing, about how she missed him and just wanted to hear his voice.

A few minutes later the machine was still going and Danny was curled up in a ball on the floor when he heard a knock at the door. The person wasn't going away, but Danny was just as stubborn and he wasn't going to get up. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME? HAVEN'T YOU PUT ME THROUGH ENOUGH?" Danny shouted looking up towards the ceiling. It was then that the door opened. Ed came walking in to see Danny on the floor, the lamp broken into pieces, and Mary's voice playing in the background. At that very moment Ed's heart broke, he had never felt closer to Danny then he did at that very minute.

Making his way over to Danny he sat down next to him. The messages in the background were still going. "I hope you come home soon. We all miss you so much." That was it, the messages stopped. There was a long silence; Ed had no idea what to say. What do you say to that? Ed looked to his watch after a few more minutes of silence. It was five after eight and he knew that Danny had to start getting ready. If not to get them there on time then to keep Danny's attention focused on something else for a while.

"Buddy, you should probably get in the shower." Ed said starting to get up. Danny looked up at him, his eyes full of sorrow. "I know." Ed said reading his thoughts. "but you have to get ready." He said reaching out for Danny's hand. Danny sat for a moment then out stretched his arm grabbing Ed's hand. Helping Danny up, Ed went over to a cabinet in the bathroom and got some towels. "Now why don't you go and take a shower." He said handing Danny the towels. Doing as he was told he walked into the bathroom as Ed walked into the living room. As he sat down he could see Danny shut the bathroom door. Taking in a deep sigh Ed put his feet up on the ottoman and turned the TV on. The first thing that came on was CNN with footage of American soldiers overseas. Ed quickly changed the channel only to see the news covering the shooting at the Montecito a few nights ago. Ed sighed and shut the TV off.

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Pacing back and forth, Mike felt like he was going to pass out, but he knew that he couldn't do that, not today. He was going to have to be there for the girls today. As he pulled himself together he reached down to pick up his cell phone. Hitting the speed dial number four the phone started to ring.

"Hello?" Nessa answered.

"Nessa, it's Mike. How are you holding up?" he asked.

Nessa sniffles "Ok, I guess. Have you talked to Sam yet?" she asked trying to take the attention off of herself.

"No, I was going to call her after I hung-up with you." Mike replied. "Are you almost ready? I thought we might want to get there a little early to see how Danny's doing before everyone else shows up."

"Yeah I'll be ready by the time you get here. So who are you picking up first me or Sam?" Nessa asked so she could get a hint as to how much time she had.

"You, since I'm on the phone with you and I'll call Sam right now."

"Ok, see you in ten." Nessa said hanging up the phone. Mike then hung-up his phone and reopened it dialing speed dial number five. Mike expected Sam to pick up on the first ring, but she didn't. Five rings came and went and Sam never picked up. Starting to get worried Mike hung-up the phone and called again. This time Sam picked up on the second ring.

"Hello." Sam answered in a tone that was obvious she was trying to hide the fact that she was crying.

"Sam! Are you alright? Why didn't you pick up your phone?" Mike questioned.

"I don't know I just didn't get to it in time I guess. Why? What's up?"

"I was calling to see if you were almost ready. I wanted to get there a little early to see how Danny's holding." Mike stated.

"Oh, umm… ok. How long until you get here?" Sam asked.

"Fifteen-twenty minutes. I have to pick Nessa up first." He said locking his apartment door and heading towards the elevator.

"Ok see you then." Sam said as she hung up the phone.

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Ed had heard the shower turn off some time ago and now saw the bathroom door begin to open. Danny came out in a white, short sleeved, under shirt and a pair of boxers. He then walked over to the side of the bed and picked up his suite pants and slipped them on. Ed sat in the living room talking on his cell phone to Jillian who had called just seconds before Danny came out.

"Yeah, I love you too honey. Yeah, I'll talk to you later. Ok, buh-bye." Ed said hanging up his phone.

"Hey, do you see my watch out there anywhere? I remember taking it off before I left, but I can't remember where I put it." Danny called out to Ed in the other room. Ed looked around and saw it lying on the coffee table next to him.

"Yeah, it's here." Ed called back, picking up the watch and walking it into Danny's room. Ed handed Danny the watch.

"Thanks. Well I think I am ready. We are a little early. Do you want to make a stop at a Starbucks or something?" Danny asked.

Ed glanced down at his watch. "Yeah ok." The two men gave the apartment a look around before leaving and then walked out the door. As they made their way down to the parking structure they decided to take separate cars.

Once they reached the coffee shop they got their coffee, found an empty table, and sat down. They talked about a variety of things mainly trying to avoid the topic of Mary. Danny knew he couldn't put it off for long, but the longer the better. He couldn't stand the pain any more.

After a few more minutes they finished there coffee and headed for the Deline home. A short while later as they pulled into the driveway Danny's vision started to blur. Luckily they were already at the house and he had turned the car off. He began to rub his head, hoping that the headache would go away.

"What's the hold up?" Ed asked scaring Danny half to death. Ed looked at Danny with a worried look on his face. Danny looked up at Ed and shook his head.

"Nothing." He said opening the car door and standing up with his vision starting to restore itself. Ed knew he was lying, but he knew that this was going to be a long day and didn't want to put Danny through any more stress. As they walked into the house and into the living room Jillian came walking down the stairs.

"Where were you two? I was starting to get worried." Jillian said walking towards them.

"I thought you said to meet you here at ten." Danny said with a puzzled look on his face looking down at his watch. "It's only nine thirty."

"Yeah I know, but Ed had called your cell this morning and you didn't pick up so he went over to check on you and then it just seemed like he was gone for a long time." She said looking relieved that he was ok and standing in front of her. "Anyway, how are you holding up?" she asked reaching out her arms to pull Danny in for a hug.

Danny took in a deep sigh. "Ok, I guess." He said as he began to pull out of the hug. With out warning Danny then fell into a pit of darkness once again, with the headache worse than before.

"DANNY!?!" Jillian screamed as he fell to the floor. Danny could hear their voices, but couldn't move. Suddenly all was quiet.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The sound of people rustling around him was coming back faintly. The more Danny tried to open his eyes the more his head throbbed. After a few more seconds he could hear everything that was being said. Delinda had just walked in the door and was now panicking.

"How long has he been out? Should we call a doctor?" Delinda was asking in a rather fast passed tone.

"He's been out for about ten minutes. He'll be fine, I think that it's all the stress with Mary and what happened to him over there it was just too much." Ed said looking down at his protégé who he had carried over to the couch. Delinda walked further over and sat on the edge of the couch next to Danny and slipped her hand in his.

"Danny? Can you here me?" Delinda asked praying for a response. Danny could hear her perfectly well, but was having trouble responding. After much hard work he was able to mutter a few words.

"Delinda…I can hear you." He said tightening his grip around her hand. His eyes then opened as he tried to sit up. His body quickly told him that he wasn't ready to get up and he leaned back down. "How long have I been out?" Danny questioned looking from Delinda to Ed.

"About ten or fifteen minutes." Ed said looking to Danny for some kind of explanation.

"What's the last thing you remember?" he asked still not taking his stare off of Danny.

"Umm… I remember hugging Jillian and then I just felt really light headed." Danny said shaking his head trying to remember if there was anything he was leaving out.

"How do you feel now?" Delinda asked taking a glass of water from her mother and handing it to Danny.

Taking the water with a nod of the head Danny took a sip and thanked both Jillian and Delinda. "I feel better now. I still feel a little light headed, but it's getting better." Danny said setting the glass down on the coffee table while swinging his feet off of the couch and sitting upright. As he looked at his watch he saw that it read ten o'clock. "Has anyone heard from Mike or the girls?" Danny said looking at the Delines who were now all sitting around him.

"Oh, no I should probably give them a call and see where they are and where they're going to meet us." Ed said unclipping his phone from his belt. Hitting speed dial number four the phone rang loudly in his ear.

"Mikey, it's me. Where are you?" Ed asked through the phone.

"Oh hey Mr. D. I am just picking up Nessa and then I am going to go over to the hotel and pick up Sam. Why what's going on?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to know when and where you wanted to meet us."

"Well where's Danny? Should I pick him up too?" Mike asked starting to feel like he was a valet again.

"No, no Danny's with me. I just want to know where and when to meet you guys. Ed asked starting to get annoyed at the fact he had to keep repeating himself.

"Well I am walking up to Nessa's right now, so by the time I get her and pick Sam up it'll be let's see…" Mike looked down at his watch. "…roughly twenty to eleven. Wow I didn't realize we were running late, so I guess we'll just meet you at the funeral home then." Mike said reaching Nessa's apartment door.

"Yeah ok." Ed said looking down at his own watch. "Sounds good, we'll see you then." Hanging up his phone he turned back around to face Danny and his family.

"Well what did Mike say?" Danny asked curiously.

"He's picking the girls up now and he'll meet us there at quarter to eleven."

"ok" Danny said "I am going to call my dad and see if I should pick him up." he said taking his cell phone off his belt and flipping it open. He turned it on only to see that he had ten missed calls. "Geese, how many times did you guys call?" Danny asked smiling, looking up at Jillian and Ed.

"Only twice. Why?" Jillian asked wondering what he was talking about. Danny suddenly got a sick feeling in his stomach again and looked back down at his phone as he punched the button that would list all of the people who had called. Like Jillian said 'Ed Home' appeared twice. As he continued down the list his suspicions were confirmed. The other eight calls had been Mary. Not wanting to listen to the messages at that moment with everyone standing around him he exited out of the list and scrolled through his phone book until he came to his father's number.

Ed knew what had just happened and signaled for Jillian and Delinda to give them a minute. Jillian nodded her head at her husband and vacated the room with her daughter beside her. "It was Mary huh? The other calls they were Mary." He said walking over and sitting next to Danny. Danny nodded his head gripping his phone tightly, trying to fight back the tears. He didn't want to keep breaking down in front of Ed like he had been, so he changed the subject and hit the call button on his phone calling his dad's house.

"Hello." Larry McCoy answered the phone while adjusting his tie.

"Dad, it's me." Danny said in a low voice.

"Hey buddy, how are you holding up?" He said stopping what he was doing and sitting on the foot of his bed.

"I'm ok. I was calling to see if you wanted me to pick you up and drive over there together."

"Umm…where are you now?" Larry asked not really wanting his son to drive while he was in this type of condition.

"I'm at Ed's now, but I was planning on coming to get you."

"No, why don't you just go with Ed and I'll meet you there." Larry said hoping that Danny wouldn't try to argue with him. Danny obviously didn't have the energy so just replied with a simple 'ok' and hung up the phone. Right after Danny hung up with his father Ed's phone rang.

"Deline." He answered.

"Ed, this is Larry McCoy."

"Oh, hey thanks for getting back to me so quick." Ed said hoping to throw Danny off so he didn't know who he was talking to.

"Danny's sitting right there?" Larry asked

"Yeah, uh-huh." Replied Ed

"Ok then I'll get straight to the point. I don't want Danny driving today. So if you could somehow get him to go with you I would really appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah I had the same thought myself, will do."

"Ok, thanks Ed."

"Yeah, buh-bye" Ed said hanging up the phone and turning back around to face Danny.

"That was my father wasn't it." Danny asked looking Ed in the eyes. Ed looked at his phone and considered lying to the young McCoy.

"Don't bother coming up with some lame excuse Ed." Danny said shaking his head. "I know that was my dad, I'm not sure what about, but the way he was talking to me and then your phone rings right after I hang up with him..."

Ed's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Yeah, ok that was your dad; he just didn't want you driving today. He's worried about you. And how did you know that it was him?" Ed asked looking at Danny suspiciously.

"Ed, I know you better then you think and I can read my dad like the back of my hand." Danny replied with a slight smirk on his face.

"Yeah, well what am I thinking right now?" Ed asked.

"That kid better wipe that smirk off his face before I smack it off." Danny said in a mimicking tone. Ed couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, maybe you do know me better then I thought." Ed said walking over to Danny and clapping him on the shoulder indicating for him to fallow. As the two walked into the kitchen, they saw Jillian and Delinda rushing around getting their purses and putting their high heels on. The two men stood and watched the women scurry around trying to get ready in time and smiled at one another.

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"You want to stay here? I'm just gonna run up and get her." Mike said looking over to Nessa.

"Yeah sure why not." Nessa said shrugging her shoulders.

"Ok." Mike said opening the car door and getting out. "Hey Jimmy, I'm gonna run upstairs and pick Sam up while Nessa waits in the car. So don't give her any grief about the car being parked in the drive way." Mike said to one of his old valet buddies while handing him a twenty dollar bill.

"No sweat Mr. Cannon." Jimmy said taking the money from Mike.

As Mike made is way through the casino and over to the elevators he couldn't help but get that same feeling in his gut that something was going to go wrong. Desperately trying to ignore it he shook his head clear of the thoughts that had been consuming his mind for the past day or so. He then pressed the number thirty button and felt the elevator begin to rise. A few short stops here and there and he arrived at floor thirty. Walking to Sam's room seemed like it took forever; maybe just because Mike was thinking about how different things were going to be now that Mary was gone. The atmosphere between the group of friends would change and Mike didn't like it one bit.

Finally reaching the door he outstretched his arm and knocked on the hotel room door. "Sam, it's Mike." The bald African American called from the hallway. There was no response. Mike again knocked on the door pleading for an answer. "Sam, please open the door." After a short pause Mike took out his wallet and pulled out his Montecito key card. "Sam I'm coming in." Mike warned her through the door. As he entered the room he saw no trace of Sam. Then as he looked to his right into the bedroom area of the suite he saw Sam lying on the bed curled up in a ball. "Sam!" Mike called rushing over to her aid. "Sam are you alright?" Mike questioned with a sound of panic in his voice.

"I told myself I wouldn't let anyone else get close to me. So what do I do? I go and make friends. How stupid can I get? How many times do I have to go through this before I learn that I can't have friends?" Sam muttered as a single tear escaped the corner of her eye.

"Sam I know that you are upset, we all are, but right now we have to be there for Danny." Sam took her gaze off of the wall and looked at Mike in the eyes.

"Yeah, yeah you're right. Lets go." She said standing up and straightening her dress. Mike grabbed her purse for her while she checked her makeup one more time in the mirror.

"You ready?" Mike asked.

"Yep" she said sounding sure of herself, grabbing her purse form Mike and heading out the door. Mike soon followed shutting the door behind him. They made their way down to the car where Nessa sat reapplying her lipstick.

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"Are you two ready yet?" Ed asked sitting at the table with Danny playing crazy eights with a deck of cards he had pulled out of a nearby drawer.

"Almost." Jillian replied, while she put on one of her high heels with one hand and kept her balance with the other by holding onto one of Ed's shoulders. Ed took the deck of cards, put them back in the box, and placed them in the drawer.

"Ok, I'm ready." Delinda said walking into the kitchen putting her blazer on.

"Ok let's go." Ed said getting up from the table with Danny. The two men waited for Delinda and Jillian and walked them out to the car.

The four got onto Ed's red H2 Hummer. As the truck started up and headed out of gated area of the Deline home Danny got a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was this it? Was he really going to Mary Connell's funeral, his best friend since childhood, and his future fiancé? As they pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home a little while later the feeling in Danny's stomach intensified. Ed parked the truck and they all got out. Danny took in a deep breath of the desert air hoping that it would get rid of the feeling in his stomach. It didn't. They walked into the lobby looking for someone who worked there. They waited for a few seconds ringing the bell for service, but got no answer. Finally Danny made his way down a hallway looking for any sign of someone that could help them. He continued down the short hallway and looked to his right into a wide, open, room. He walked in looking at the decorations. Suddenly his knees buckled and he through his arms up supporting himself on the wall.

Danny then straightened himself back up and walked over to what had startled him. As he reached the open coffin he laid his hand on the smooth wood. Danny stared down at Mary's face as a single tear escaped his eye. He slowly brought his other hand up and stroked her hair gently. "They didn't do your hair right did they?" Danny said talking to the lifeless body. Ed came up behind Danny in the room and stopped when he saw him talking to Mary; his heart crumbling into little pieces at the sight of Danny in pain. "I miss you so much. I should have done so many things different. I should have come to my senses earlier and married you before I deployed. I should have let those men take the money. I should have done a lot of things." Danny continued to stroke her hair. "When we were kids and my mom died I built up that wall so high hoping that I would never get hurt like my father did. Someway, somehow you slipped by without me even knowing it." He said smiling at her. "I was thinking last night about that day in the forth grade behind the swings. I wish so bad that we could go back to that day. I love you Mary Connell. I always have and I always will." He said then taking in a deep breath. Walking up behind him, Ed put a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"You ok?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, just caught me off guard that's all." He said shaking his head, still in shock at the sight of her.

"Come on, we'll be back in a little bit. Let's just go and fill out some papers."

"Yeah ok, I'll meet up with you." He said turning to look Ed in the eye. Ed nodded his head in understanding and turned to exit the room. Danny looked back down at Mary's motionless body and stroked her hair a few more times. Taking in a deep breath he turned to exit the room. As he made his way back to the lobby he could see Ed filling in the pieces of the paperwork that he could and skipping the rest. Danny came up to counter and Ed slid the pieces of paper over to him. He had done a relatively good job for only being her boss.

"Linn." Danny said simply as he glanced over the paper.

"Excuse me?" Ed said having no idea what Danny was speaking of.

"Mary's middle name…it is…it _was_ her Linn." Danny said looking towards his feet now. A few seconds later he lifted his head and continued to fill in the bits of information that Ed had left blank. As he did so Nessa came walking through the door. She first hugged the Deline family.

"Where's Sam and Mike?" Ed asked letting go of her.

"They're on their way in. Sam is not handling this too well. All I could get out of her was that she hasn't been to a funeral since she was a kid and it didn't go well for her." Nessa said as she looked out the window to see Sam and Mike making their way to the door. Nessa then walked over to Danny who was still filling out the papers and put a hand on his arm. He stopped writing and tried to fight back the tears. He succeeded in his mission and then turned to Nessa as she pulled him down to her level and gave him a tight hug. "I am so sorry Danny." She said in her British accent. Danny nodded his head and pulled out of the hug. Just then Mike and Sam came walking in.

Sam immediately passed by the Delines and Nessa and went over to Danny. Throwing her arms around him she hugged him deeply as did he. Still hugging, Danny said to her "Thanks for coming. I know you don't do funerals." Then pulled out of the hug. Nessa stood with her mouth open as she learned that Sam had told Danny why she doesn't like funerals and not her. Danny and Sam always seemed to be at each others throats.

"Anything for Mary." Sam said backing up towards Delinda to give her a hug. Mike then came up to Danny and stood and looked him in the eyes for a moment before putting his arms around Danny giving him a hug. Not a half guy hug, but a real, sincere, hug that came from the heart. Mike did it out of the kindness of his heart and because he cared for both Mary and Danny, but it meant a lot to Danny coming from Mike.

"I'm sorry man." He said pulling out of the hug. The seven people stood in silence for a minute as Danny finished up the paperwork and then headed into the room where Mary was lying. The only people who have seen her so far are Danny and Ed so they stay towards the back of the group and let them go and pay their respects.

The crowd of people enter the dim room and the feeling in Danny's stomach comes back as he sees the look on all their faces when they see her. One by one they walk up to the casket. Danny and Ed observe from the back of the room.

"You seem to be handling this better then I thought." Ed said still watching his family and employees say their goodbyes.

"Well if you're comparing me to them…" Danny said referring to the people over by the casket. "…I have seen more dead bodies then they ever will, but if you're just referring in general then I guess my response would have to be that I am still in shock." Danny said not looking at Ed.

"I think your answer is right on both of those subjects." Ed said nodding his head up and down. "You know Danny, I don't want to put anymore stress on you today then you already have, but if you ever need to talk to someone about what happened over their or about Mary you know I am here for you." Ed said glancing up at Danny and then looking back towards his friends and family.

"I know." Danny said as he watched Jillian make her way over to them with tears streaming down her face. The rest of them soon followed with tears in their eyes as well. Danny then walked over to a table and pulled out a bag. The crew looked at him with looks of curiosity. One at a time Danny pulled out dozens of pictures of Mary, most of them with him in it. They pack of people all stared at the pictures of Mary full of life. Delinda picked one up and smiled as a single tear rolled off the tip of her nose. It was a picture of Mary and Danny at the age of seven both sporting cowboy hats; Mary's pink and Danny's green. "I gathered a bunch of these up, I was wondering if you guys could help me set them up around the place." All nodding their heads they each took a few pictures and began to disperse the photos around the room.

Ed came to one that he was in. It had been him and Mary at last years Christmas party. She had some mistletoe in her hand and raised it above his head kissing him on the cheek playfully. Ed had to smile as he put the photo down. As he looked around the room most of the pictures had at least one of the people in this room in it. It was then that he realized they were her family. Ed knew her father wasn't in her life and that her mother had passed away when she was little, it just never really dawned on him before then.

More and more people began to show up soon after they had set up all of the photos. Danny knew that Mary knew a lot of people, but the amount of people that showed up for the service was impeccable. He stood back and smiled as people still poured into the room.

Forty-five minutes later they all headed into the church where a few people got up to speak. Mike, Ed, and his dad all made beautiful speeches and laid a rose in with Mary. The last person to speak was Danny. The reverend called Danny up by the listing of Mary's fiancé and he began to shake. Slowly he got up and walked over to the podium pulling out a slip of paper. There was a long pause and then he began to speak.

"Mary and I have been best friends since we were two. We grew up together, we worked together, and we were going to spend the wrest of our lives together." Pause; Danny takes in a deep breath and his hands begin to shake "She was always thinking of other people and that's what I loved about her, along with her smile that could light up a room, and the way she was always a constant romantic." pause. "I walked into her apartment last night and I still expected to see her standing there in the doorway with that huge smile on her face. When she wasn't there … my heart broke all over again." He said sniffling and letting a tear roll down his face. "I love Mary Connell. I always have and I always will." He said taking a red rose and walking it down to Mary and placing it in her hands. The Red rose stuck out next to all of the white ones that had been placed in with her.

The reverend then said that he would like to have the family exit the room first. As Danny got up with his father he stopped to look behind him.

"What are you guys doing?" he asked with a look of curiosity on his face. "You are as much family to her as we are." He said to Luis, Ed, Jillian, Delinda, Sam, Nessa, and Mike. They all smiled at him and exited the room with the McCoy's. Shortly after they vacated the room the mass of people came walking out behind them.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Danny shook hands and hugged several people before he stepped out of the room and went outside. Putting his hand to the wall for support he took in a deep breath. He then looked to his left and saw the men that worked there taking Mary's coffin out a side door and putting it into the hearse. He stood and stared for a while until he was startled by Delinda's hand sliding across his back.

"You ok?"

"I just can't get over that she's in there." He said lifting a hand and pointing towards the casket.

"Yeah I know, it sounds silly, but I keep looking around waiting for Mary to show up." she said staring at the hearse. There was a long pause until the men shut the door to the vehicle and Delinda then turned to face Danny. "Your speech was beautiful." She said taking his hand in her hers.

"Thanks" he said looking at his feet moving his head up and down. Delinda now moves in and wraps her arms around Danny sobbing gently into his chest. Danny wraps his arms around her as well, and rests his head on hers, closing his eyes, and taking in a deep breath. Rocking back and forth for a few seconds they pull apart and walk back into the room, arms linked, where they are informed that it is time to head over to the cemetery.

The nine people that were closest to Mary head over to a nearby limo and get in. It's a little cramped, but none of them seem to mind at the moment, for they are all grieving over the loss of their friend. Two motor cycle cops start up their bikes and turn on the flashing lights. They take off first and then the hearse behind them followed by their limo. The ride to the cemetery doesn't take long and as they go to turn into the entrance the cops stop and dismount their bike saluting to the limo.

As the limo approaches the grave sight it comes to a stop. The crowd of people in the limo are asked to stay where they are as the workers take the coffin over to the burial site. They do as they're told and then get out when a man waves over at them. As Danny exits the car he stretches his legs and looks around the cemetery towards his mother's grave. He walks over slowly and silently. Kneeling down he starts to talk to his mother with his eyes closed. "When dad lost you…I swore to myself that I would never let that happen to me, I would never hurt like he did. Looking back I feel like such an idiot. I would never trade the time I spent with Mary for anything and I now know partly how dad feels. You need to do me a favor though…look after Mary for me." Danny sniffles and wipes a tear from his face. "and if you could give me a little strength for today that would be great." Pause "Thanks mom." He says standing up now and turning around.

As he makes his way back over towards the crowd of people something catches his eye and he stops dead in his tracks. He squints his eyes and his suspicion is confirmed. He starts walking and quickens his pace as the man raises his arms at the sight of Danny. Ed and Larry are having a conversation nearby and see Danny practically running by them. Larry looks over to see where Danny is running to and sees what's going on.

"Oh God!" Larry says turning to run after Danny with Ed close behind.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny says approaching the man who was now backing up into a car.

"I am her father Danny." He says with his hands still raised. Danny takes him by the throat and throws him back against the truck.

"NO! No you're not! You stopped being her father that night she ran to my house in tears." Danny said pulling him off the truck and throwing him into the dirt. "Now get the hell out of here."

"I am coming to this funeral Danny and you can't stop me." The man said getting to his feet and walking towards the chairs.

"The hell I can't!" Danny says walking up to him and punching clear in the jaw. The man immediately falls to the floor. Danny continues to lay in punch after punch.

"DANNY!" Both Larry and Ed scream running over to pull him off.

"No, get off of me!" Danny screams at them trying to escape their grips. "YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE YOU SON-OF-A-B!" Danny yells as Luis walks over and drags the man back to his car. Larry and Ed sit Danny down in front of the coffin and Larry takes a seat beside him as Ed walks away giving them some space.

"You have to calm down now the service is going to start soon." Larry whispers to Danny.

"Yeah well he shouldn't have been here." Danny says slightly child like.

"Yeah I know, but he's gone now and the service is going to start." Larry says in his father figure tone. The crowd of people that had been in the limo with him walk over and sit in the front row with him.

The wind starts to pick up and the reverend starts to speak. Danny can't keep his eyes off of the casket in front of him. Before he knows it the reverend is done speaking and there is dead silence. The only sound that can be heard is the rustling of the leaves being blown in the wind. People start to disperse and Danny is left sitting by himself with the coffin. He gets up and kneels in front of it as he puts a hand on the smooth wood. Tears start to flood his face and he bends his head in disbelief.

His father and friends stand a few yards back watching him. Ed stands between his wife and daughter. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Delinda cross her arms and begin to bop up and down. He turns to face her and sees her sobbing. Taking her in his arms he knows that she is crying at the sight of Danny in pain. Delinda begins to pull out and turn around. She stands still for a moment before she starts to head over to Danny. As she comes up behind him she puts a hand to his shoulder and sits in a chair. He turns to look at her and sits back down in a chair beside her. There are no words exchanged and Danny suddenly turns and puts his arms around her. The two sit for a minute and for an instant Danny forgets all of his worries. They soon all come rushing back when he hears people starting to get in their cars. The two separate and Danny catches a glimpse of the people behind him starring.

"Do you want some time alone?" Delinda asks trying to get a feel for how Danny's feeling. Danny shakes his head no.

"No." he says quietly as he takes her hand in his. Danny stands up with Delinda and heads towards the cluster of people behind him. Delinda leads still holding his hand. Danny stops abruptly and turns his head back towards the casket. Stopping Delinda turns her head to look at him. He turns back and heads to the coffin and bends down in front of it resting his head on the soft surface. He then kisses the top and whispers to it "I love you." and walks away. He comes to Delinda and makes eye contact signaling that he is ok. The two walk up to their friends who are waiting for them. The group walks back to the limo and pile in mutely. Danny can feel his heart being ripped out of his chest when his gaze on the casket is broken as they pull out of the cemetery.

The ride leaving the cemetery seems a lot longer then the ride there. It may be because the reality of Mary being gone is finally starting to settle in or it may be because he is so tired or both. All Danny knew was that he wanted the pain to stop, the pain that ached day in and day out, the pain that was worse then any torture he had received over seas, the pain that never stopped.

When Danny lifted his head he was at the Montecito. Getting that feeling in his stomach again he took in a deep breath. The group got out and made their way into the casino. Danny stopped abruptly as he came to the very spot where he held Mary in his arms and watched her die. He could feel his knees buckle beneath him and couldn't control it. Luckily Ed had been walking beside him and Danny was able to grab his shoulder for support. Ed threw his arms up grabbing Danny by his elbows. Ed then guided Danny over to an empty blackjack table nearby. The two took a seat and Danny closed his eyes.

"You feel ok?" Ed questioned worriedly.

"Yeah I just…I don't even know what to say." He said shaking his head feeling so confused.

"It's ok. I know what you mean." Ed said

"No, no you don't Ed." Danny said curtly. Ed moved his head back slightly caught off guard by the remark. Shaking his head Danny said "I'm sorry I didn't mean that and I shouldn't talk to you like that. You and your family have done so much for me."

"No, no you're right. I don't know what you're going through." Ed said in an understanding voice.

"Yeah, but I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I am sorry." Danny said apologetically.

"Don't sweat it kid." Ed said clapping Danny on the back as he got up from the table and walked over to the ballroom. Danny gets up quickly catching up to Ed in a few long strides. They walk into the ballroom where Mary spent most of her days planning various types of events for the hotel and casino. Everywhere Danny looked he could see something that reminded him of Mary. The tall Marine hung around for a while eating, mingling with guests, and talking about old times they had spent with Mary. As Danny talks to one of Mary's old cheerleading buddies from high school he makes eye contact with his father in the corner of the room. Larry immediately knows what his son is asking and makes his way over to him. He comes up to them and stands by Danny.

"Danny can I talk to you for a minute?" Larry asks

"Yeah sure." He says to his father. "Will you excuse me for just a minute?" Danny asks the woman.

"Oh yeah sure." She says turning to catch Mike and talk to him. Mike gives Danny a glare when he realizes what he just did. Danny smiles at him giving him a silent 'thank you'.

"Thanks, if I had to hear one more story about a cheer competition I think I would have vomited." Danny said playfully to his father.

"Now there's a pleasant image." Larry said smiling. Danny looks away from his father, takes in a deep sigh, and shrugs his shoulders. "Are you ok?" his dad asks with a slight look of alarm on his face.

"Yeah, I just need to get some air that's all. I'll be back in a bit." Danny said turning to one of the many disguised employee doors. He walks out to see the sun setting behind the beautiful Las Vegas cityscape. Delinda walks out a side door a few yards down.

"What are you doing out here?" Danny shouts down to her.

"Scared me to death." A startled Delinda said turning around quickly to see Danny. Danny smiles and starts to walk towards her as does she. "I just needed to get some air, there's a lot of people in there." She says pointing back to the ballroom.

"Yeah I know." Danny says nodding his head.

"What about you? What are you doing out here?" She asks

"I just needed to get away for awhile." He says looking to his feet and then back up to the cityscape. There is a long pause. "Mary used to love this. When we were kids we used to climb up on the roof of my house and watch the sunset together." Delinda smiles as she listens to Danny speak. "Every New Years we would take a picture of the strip and then compare it to the year before." Danny looks over at Delinda and she smiles at him. It is silent for a few moments before Delinda speaks up. "I am going to head back in. Are you coming or you gonna hang out here for a bit?" Danny hesitates before answering.

"No, I'll come back in for a while, but I think I am going to take off soon." He says walking back to the building with Delinda. It was a little after four o'clock, but Danny was beat. He had to admit though that this day would have been a lot harder without the Delines, especially Delinda. They helped him get through this day without him even realizing it until now. "Thank you." Danny says as the two reach the door leading into the ballroom.

"For what?" Delinda asks a little puzzled.

"Everything that you have done for me the last few days." He says stopping just outside the door looking deep into her eyes to let her know how serious he was.

"Don't mention it McCoy; and you know if you need anything all you have to do is ask." She says extending her arms to pull him down to her level for a hug.

"I know." He says hugging her.

Just then Mike opened the door startling Danny and Delinda. Danny pulls back to look at Mike.

"Are you ok?" Mike asks Danny briefly looking at him, but then turns his head to Delinda looking for the real answer knowing that Danny would lie to him.

"Yeah we just needed some air that's all." Danny says. Mike looks back to Danny nodding his head but catches Delinda's signal that he is telling the truth. Danny's not stupid, he knew that they had all been doing this for the last few days, but he let them think that they were being sneaky. _Do they really think that a marine wouldn't catch on to their little game? _Danny thought to himself. I mean really it didn't matter if he was a marine or not anybody would have caught on to that and you would think that they could be a little more discreet considering they work in a casino and have to act that way all the time. Especially Mike, now that he works in surveillance. Now that he thought about it though, he couldn't remember Ed ever playing their little _game. _That means either Ed didn't participate in such things or all his years in the CIA were working to his advantage.

Danny laughed to himself as the three entered the ball room. Mike was a few paces in front of Danny and Delinda. Delinda looks up at the tall Marine. "What?" she asks.

"What, what?" Danny asks looking down at her.

"What are you laughing at?" she asks again.

"Oh nothing." He says trying to wave off the question.

"No, you can't do that. You were laughing at something. What was it?" she asks pushing him softly and playfully. Danny smiles before answering.

"Fine, I was laughing at the little game you have all been playing."

"What game?" she asks a little confused.

"The game, you know whenever someone asks me a question and I answer they always look to someone else for the "real" answer oh so sneakily." He says putting his hands up making quotation marks around 'real'. He begins to laugh and sees Delinda's mouth drop.

"You are not supposed to know that we are doing that." She says starting to laugh at the sight of Danny almost collapsing against the wall in a fit of laughter.

"Oh please, how could I not see that you are all acting like complete idiots every time I try and answer a question?" He says starting to mimic their 'secret' signals. "I do have a question though." He says starting to stand up again. "Is Ed doing it? I can't ever see him doing it, but I don't know if it's because he's too good or he's not doing it."

Delinda smiles and looks at Danny. Shaking her head she replies "No, daddy doesn't do it. He said that he doesn't like to talk about you behind your back." Danny blushes slightly and looks to his feet. "You are right though. If daddy was doing it you wouldn't be able to tell." She says smiling.

Danny is suddenly startled by a strong clap on the back and turns around grabbing the arm. He then kicks himself for his fast reflexes when he sees that it's only Ed. Delinda looks a bit alarmed, but Ed acts as if Danny was only joking around.

"Gees kid, what's with you and my arm? How many times have I told you we can't hold hands in public? My wife might start to get suspicious." He says laughing. Danny smiles but gives Ed a 'thank you' look. "So what are you guys talking about?" Ed asks trying to change the subject.

"Nothing really." Delinda says. There is a long awkward pause.

"Well I think I am going to take off. I hate to ask, but could you guys make sure we get all the pictures back after everyone leaves?" They both nod their heads yes and Danny turns to leave. Ed steps forwards grabbing a hold of Danny's rights arm. The tall marine turns back to face Ed.

"Are you going to be ok?" Ed asks with a look full of seriousness, concern, and worry.

Danny shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. "I don't know." He answers.

"You want me to come with you?" Ed asks trying not to sound too father like. He knew Danny had a father, but he couldn't help but feel like Danny was his own son.

Shaking his head Danny replies "No. I'll see you later." He then rotates his body so that it is now facing the door. Walking back out through the hidden door as had done earlier, he notices that it's now dark and the beautiful city is lit up by the bright Vegas lights. He walks down the stairs to the parking lot and makes his way over to his yellow Camaro. He gets into his car and feels another headache coming on. He does not start the car on account of his head throbbing so rapidly. He can feel his head start to feel heavy and it drops back against the head rest. The sound of high heels is heard but his vision is blurry and it all fades into darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Where's your mother?" Ed asks Delinda coming up behind her. He has a very depressed look on his face. Granted he is at a funeral, but this look is different from the one he had been wearing all day.

"In the restroom. What's wrong?" she asks putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Why do you think something is wrong?"

"Because daddy, you have that look on your face and whenever you have the look you ask for mom and tell her what's wrong with you." Ed smiles and looks at his daughter in amazement.

"You know me too well." He says.

"What are you two laughing at and what's wrong?" Jillian asks walking up to the two.

"How do you guys always know when there is something wrong?" Ed asks still smiling. Jillian does not smile and continues to stare into is deep blue eyes.

"You still haven't answered my question." She says.

"I am just worried about Danny, that's all." He says hating to admit that he liked the kid in public.

"He's only been gone for like forty-five minutes." Delinda states, looking at her watch.

"I know, but I know how he feels after coming home from over there and then this happened he has to be going through hell."

"He just needs some time. He'll be ok." Jillian says rubbing Ed's back.

"I know I just worry about him." There is a short silence and when Ed looks up he sees people hugging Larry goodbye. "Oh that reminds me. Jillian, sweetie, can you take that pile of pictures that I stacked up and take them out to my car? I want to talk to Larry for a minute." Jillian hesitates, but eventually gives in. "Thanks honey." He says leaning in to give her a kiss.

Jillian walks over to the table and picks up the pile of photographs. Walking to the same door Danny had exited about an hour earlier she pushes it open and heads down the stairs.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ed walks up to Larry and waits for him to finish his previous conversation with someone who is saying goodbye. He finishes up and shakes the gentleman's hand. He smiles when Ed walks up to him. Ed smiles back and puts out a hand. Larry responds by shaking Ed's hand and saying, "Thank you"

"For what?" Ed asks with a furrowed brow.

"For taking care of Danny and helping him out."

Ed shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. Do you think that he's going to be ok tonight?" Larry looks at Ed in the eyes and then down to his feet shaking his head. For that small moment Ed could see in Larry's actions, Danny.

"I don't know. I hope so." Larry said pulling Ed back into the conversation and out of his daydream.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jillian made her way down the stairs and through the employee parking garage. It was somewhat empty. Most of the faculty members who had front row parking were managers and had already left for the night. As she continued on through one of the rows a bright yellow car caught her eye. She changed her direction slightly to head toward the vehicle. As she came closer she could see a tall man sitting in the driver's seat. She began to run once she saw Danny's head lying against the car door. She threw the pictures she was carrying into the backseat and lifted Danny's head to the headrest.

At once she began to run her hands over Danny's face checking for any signs of an injury. "Danny, Danny!" her voice quivered terrified that he wouldn't wake up. The sound of a man and a woman were heard in the distance. Jillian turned to look with her hands remaining on Danny's face. She felt a wave of relief fall over her when she saw that it was Ed and Delinda. "ED!" She screamed through the parking garage. The smile on Ed's face quickly faded when he heard the sound of distress in his wife's voice. He began to run with Delinda close behind.

"Are you ok?" he shouted as he got closer.

"Yes, I am fine. It's Danny I found him in his car. He won't wake up." she screamed tears streaming down her face. Ed brushed past her and moved to open the car door. Delinda had finally caught up and was standing beside her mother holding her. Her eyes were now flooded with tears as well as she watched her father drag Danny out of the car and lay him on the ground.

"Oh my god. Is he breathing?" Delinda questioned, her voice filled with horror.

Ed put his ear to Danny's chest and then took his pulse. Nodding his head he replied "Yes." Suddenly as Ed lifted his head to look at Jillian, Danny began to move. His head darted back to Danny. "Danny?" Ed said trying to bring him back to reality. It was no use.

"…33°20′00″N, 44°26′00″E, over." Danny said, his eyes still shut. Danny continued to talk for the next ten minutes. Most of the things he said were incomprehensible, but every now and again he would mutter words that made Jillian and Delinda close there eyes and cry. "I'm requesting and air strike on my position", "don't die on me bill", "two tangos, three o'clock", "MARY!!!" at this last comment he screamed and shot upright sweating bullets. Ed had been sitting on the floor with Delinda. Danny's head had been resting in the young woman's lap while Jillian went for help. The tall marine looked around at his surroundings and had a perplexed look on his face. When he realized what had happened he began to feel extremely dizzy. He tried to stand up, but gravity would not allow him to do so.

"Danny, your ok, you just need to sit down for a minute." Ed said putting his hand to Danny's back. Danny turned to look at Ed and blinked his eyes a few times when he saw that there was three of him. 'That's a scary thought' he said to himself 'three Ed Delines'. After a few moments he could see clearly the people in front of him and the worried expressions they were carrying.

Danny stood up and saw Jillian and his dad running at him. Jillian looked to her husband for a moment, as if asking him if he thought Danny was ok. Ed nodded his head silently.

"Danny? Are you ok?" Larry asked rushing up to him putting a hand to his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just had a bad dream that's all." He said shaking his head and looking down.

"Ok, well you're gonna stay at my house tonight." He said starting to move Danny towards his pick up.

"No, no I'm not. I can handle myself. I just had a bad dream that's it." He then grabbed his keys from Ed's hands, got in his car, and peeled out of the parking garage. Larry dropped his head into his hands.

"Did you see him before this thing with Mary happened?" Larry asked.

"Briefly, why?" Ed asked

"Did he seem strange to you. I mean was he acting like this?"

"Well, I didn't get to see him for very long before this happened, but yeah he was different. Why do you ask?"

"Because the last time he was deployed he came back and he would stare off into space for a few seconds, but that only lasted a week or so. I was wondering if this was anything like that."

"You just need to give him some time; some time and some space." Ed said nodding his head, knowing what Danny was going through. A tear slipped out of Jillian's eye as she moved closer and wrapped her arms around her husband. Delinda then turned around and headed towards a different section in the garage. Ed turned towards his daughter. "Where are you going?!" He shouted to her as she kept walking.

"To find Danny." She said.

"Vegas is huge, you don't even know where he is." He said. Delinda stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at him.

"Yes I do." She said before turning back and heading towards her car.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Danny pulled up in front of Mary's house and turned the engine off. He sat quietly for awhile trying to let it soak in that when he entered that apartment she wouldn't be there.

Delinda pulled up a few houses back. She could see Danny sitting in the car and didn't want to be seen at the moment. So she pulled into one of the neighbors driveways and just sat watching him.

Danny then took in a deep breath and opened the car door. He swung his legs around to get out, but when he went to stand he found it harder then he expected. He began to feel dizzy again, but kept pushing himself towards the apartment.

Delinda could tell from the way he was walking that something was not right. When she saw Danny start to stumble she threw her arm to the car door handle, but she brought it back when she saw him stabilize himself. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour for fear that there was something wrong with him.

Reaching the door of the apartment was harder then the marine had expected. He stood against the wall for a minute trying to catch his breath and trying to see two feet in front of him. He felt very dizzy and couldn't figure out why everything around him was moving.

Delinda had now gotten out of the car and made her way over to Danny's where he had forgotten his keys. As she reached into the car and pulled the keys out of the ignition she looked up at Danny. She didn't like what she was seeing, but she knew she had to remain calm, for Danny's sake.

Danny's vision began to come back and he reached into his pockets for his keys. He let out a deep sigh when he realized that he had left them in the car.

"Looking for these?" Delinda asked holding up the keys. Danny turned around sharply at the sound of someone's voice. Stumbling, he put his hand to the wall for support. Delinda reached out her arms to pull him up.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked in spite of being grateful that she was.

"After the past few days that you have had and that little encounter you had in the garage I am not about to let you out of my sight." She said entering the key into the lock and opening the door. Helping Danny over to the couch she flipped on the light switch. "How are you feeling?" She asked concerned about his health.

"Honestly, like garbage. I'm lightheaded, tired, and want nothing more than to just go to sleep, but whenever I shut my eyes I either see Mary or…" Danny trails off looking to his left out the window towards the pool in the backyard.

"Or…what?" Delinda questions taking her hand and placing it on Danny's chin only to move his face to look at her.

"Or…or my squad." He says softly; quickly making eye contact before looking away again.

Delinda's heart crumbles as the words escape Danny's mouth. She leans forward and brings his head up against her shoulder. At first he is hesitant, but after deciding that he is sick of building up this wall he just rests his head on her shoulder entirely.

"Danny, I don't think that we should stay here tonight." Delinda says. Danny looks at her with a puzzled face. "It's just that I think staying here may trigger you to have some of those nightmares." Danny nods his head and stands up. They head out the front door and Danny makes his way towards his car. "Oh no, I don't think so cowboy." Delinda says running up and grabbing his keys out of his hand. "After that little stunt back there do you really think that I am going to let you drive?" She makes her way around the Camaro to the driver's seat and gets in. Danny sighs but does not attempt to resist. Getting in he looks at Delinda and smiles to himself.

Delinda starts up the car and drives out of Mary's neighborhood, takes a few back roads, and before they new it they were in front of Danny's place. The two get out and walk up to the apartment silently. As they approach the door Delinda hands Danny his keys and he unlocks the door. The two walk in the dark apartment. Delinda looks around and sees the broken lamp from earlier. She does not ask any questions, she just looks at Danny, not breaking the awkward silence.

"Well, you're here safe and sound. I guess I should go." She says "Call me if you need anything." She says pulling him in for a hug. Danny rests his head on her shoulder and closes his eyes.

After a few short moments Danny pulls his head up and gazes into her eyes. Delinda moves in slightly resting her forehead against his own. Danny closes his eyes and moves in, passionately kissing her lips. Without thinking she kisses him back and puts a hand to his face. She then pulls back slightly again resting her forehead against his.

"Danny…I don't think you are ready for this." She whispers, panting slightly. Danny does not listen and goes back in for another kiss. Delinda does not attempt to tell him again. She wants this so badly, she wants him so badly. Danny stands up bringing Delinda with him and lets his hands roam through her hair as he continues to shower her with kisses. Delinda then starts to push him back into his room.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Yes sir, I've taken the target out!" Ed shouts shooting upright. He looks around his bedroom. His eyes meet his wife sleeping beside him. Realizing that he was only dreaming he wipes his forehead and lies back down. He props his head up on his hand and watches her sleep. Smiling he reaches his hand over and strokes her face.

As she opens her eyes she smiles at him. "You know…" she says stopping to stretch and yawn. "I can't decide whether or not you watching me sleep is incredibly sweet or incredibly creepy." She laughs. Ed pulls back and drops his mouth open in shock.

"I'm hurt, I'm really hurt." He says pouting and rolling over so that he can't see her.

"Oh come on I'm only kidding." She says still laughing and moving towards him wrapping her arms around him. She then rolls him back over so that she can see him.

"You were, were you?" he asks smiling at her and leaning in for a kiss. Nodding her head she kisses him back.

"What are you doing up so early?" she asks looking at the clock. It was only 7:30 am, but for Ed it was sleeping in.

"Couldn't sleep." He says simply, shrugging his shoulders.

"So in other words you had another one of your dreams." She said looking into his eyes. Ed looks down and away from her eyes. "And you are worried about Danny." She continues. Ed looks back up at her and smiles at her.

Leaning back in for another kiss he says smiling, "You always know what I'm thinking."

"And to answer the other question that you are thinking, no I have not heard from Danny; or Delinda for that matter." She says smiling, very pleased with herself. Amazed by his wife he just smiles and kisses her once again.

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Lying in bed she moves slightly and sighs frustrated with the sun peaking through the blinds. It then dawns on her that she doesn't have a window in her bedroom. Opening her eyes all of last nights events come rushing back into her head. Rolling over she sees Danny's nude body fast asleep. Feeling like an idiot for rushing Danny into a situation like this she rolls out of bed and slips on her pants and her shirt.

As she tiptoes out of the room she hears, "Where are you going?" she stops and lowers her head. She then turns around and looks into his eyes. As soon as she did it she knew it was a mistake, but she couldn't help it. His eyes are mesmerizing.

"Danny…last night…" she starts, lowering her head but is cut off by Danny.

"…was my fault." He finishes for her. Looking at him she appears to be confused, but really is just amazed. 'After everything he has been through and is going through how is he, still, such a gentlemen?' she thinks to herself. "You tried to tell me that I wasn't ready and you were right, but I didn't want to listen. I just wanted all of the hurt to go away. This is not your fault and you did nothing wrong." Delinda opens her mouth to talk, but Danny puts his hand up. "Let me finish. I know that you have feelings for me and to be honest I think somewhere deep down underneath all of this hurt I might have feelings for you too. With all of the things that you have helped me through the past few days I think we have just both grown a lot closer to each other, but I'm just not ready for a serious relationship, at least not right now." Taking in a deep breath he stops and looks at her gazing deep into her eyes.

"Danny, I really appreciate all of the things that you are saying, but I can't let you take the blame for what happened between us last night. I mean I was there too and I was obviously not putting up a fight, but I agree we did move way too fast and I am sorry." There is a long pause and Delinda turns around to exit the bedroom.

"D, don't go. I don't want things to be awkward between us. At least stay for breakfast or whatever." He says hoping that she will agree.

Delinda smiles, but is secretly cursing Danny inside for being such a gentlemen. It would be so much easier to just shut her feelings for him off, but when he does things like this she can't help but love him. Nodding her head she replies, "Yes". Walking out into the kitchen she opens the fridge only to find it empty. She then goes to the pantry and it too is empty. "Uh…Danny? I would love to stay for breakfast, but that would be a little difficult considering you have no food." She shouts to him in the other room. Danny smiles as he slips on his pants and walks into the kitchen.

"Oh." He laughs "sorry about that I forgot. When I was deployed I got rid of everything because I didn't want it to go bad considering I didn't know when or if I was coming back." Delinda was smiling up until his last few words.

"Well then what did you eat yesterday?" she asks changing the subject slightly.

"Your dad and I went out for coffee, I had a bagel there."

"Oh well, it looks like you are going out for breakfast again and after that I am taking you to the grocery store." She says smiling at him. "Now go throw on a shirt and let's go; oh and throw on a hat or something your hair looks horrible." She laughs.

"Oh and like yours looks so beautiful." Gasping Delinda turns to look in a mirror.

"Oh my god, Danny you let me talk to you this entire time looking like this? I thought you were my friend." She says running to his bathroom in search for a brush. Danny couldn't help but laugh as he entered the bathroom after watching her frantically combing her hair. Once she stops to poof it up a little bit Danny grabs the brush.

"Do you mind?" He asks starting to comb his own hair.

"Oh Danny sweetie, it's no use for you. Just put a hat on." She says looking at him without a hint of laughter in her voice. Danny drops his mouth open in shock.

"Oh yeah." He says smiling reaching in and grabbing her by the head giving her a noogy.

Laughing hysterically Delinda screams, "Ok, ok I am sorry." The two continue to laugh as he lets go. She then looks up at him and they both fall silent. He then reaches out and pulls her in with one arm kissing the top of her head and walks her out of the bathroom. He then takes his arm off of her shoulder and walks to the closet. Watching him closely Delinda furrows her brow out of curiosity. Reaching up he pulls out a hat and places it on his head. Delinda can't help but laugh, but stops when she sees him reach back up into the closet. For about a minute or so it is obvious that he is looking for something in particular. He then pulls it out; a hat with a ponytail slot in the back. Walking over to her he sticks it on her head. Laughing she readjusts it and places her hair through the slot.

"Well, it looks like we are ready to go." She says opening the front door.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"It's 8:45 and she still hasn't called." Ed says pacing the kitchen. Jillian smiles and puts down box of Bisquick.

"She's probably still sleeping." Jillian says walking towards him.

"Well I can't wait anymore I'm going to call her." He says picking up the phone and dialing her cell phone number. As the phone rang Jillian wrapped her arms around him.

"Why don't you just let her sleep? Call her in a hour or two." Continuing to let the phone ring he ignores his wife.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Where do you want to go?" Delinda asks getting into the drivers seat of Danny's car.

"I don't know; something easy and something quick. Hey how about McDonalds?" he says looking to Delinda. Delinda laughs and looks at him as she starts up the car.

"Yeah ok." As she continues smiling she hears her cell phone ringing. Looking around she sees her purse in the back seat. "Danny can you get that." She asks looking at him with a pleading look. Danny complies and reaches into the backseat pulling her purse into his lap and searches through it for her phone. After finding it he flips it open and answers it without looking at the caller id.

"Hello?" he says holding onto his hat as they drive down one of the backstreets of Vegas.

"Hey D it's… wait who is this?" Ed asks in a state of confusion.

"Who is this?" Danny asks offended at the sound of the man's voice.

"Danny?" Ed asks after listening more intently to the man on the other end of the telephone.

"Ed?"

"Yeah, why do you have Delinda's phone?" He asks grateful that it was only Danny and not some nut job.

"Because, she is driving and couldn't get to the phone so I grabbed it for her. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Well to be honest I was just calling her to see if she had heard from you, but obviously she had. Why is she with you so early?"

"She found me at Mary's last night and I wasn't feeling so good so she took me back to my place and watched after me." He says hating to lie to Ed, though he was telling him half of the truth he knew that there was no way on the planet that he could tell him what else went on.

"Ok, can Delinda talk at the moment?" he asks wanting to ask her just exactly how he was not feeling good.

"Um yeah we are just pulling into the McDonalds parking lot so hold on a minute." Danny says then handing the phone over to Delinda. Taking the phone she takes the key out of the ignition and steps out of the car.

"Hey daddy."

"Hey, what was wrong with Danny last night?" he asks now worried about Danny rather than Delinda.

"He just felt really lightheaded and was having a hard time sleeping. So I drove him home and made sure he was going to be ok. Now we are going out to breakfast at McDonalds." She says glad that her father cared about Danny, but also sick of always having to explain herself.

"Ok, well I just wanted to make sure that he was ok. I guess I'll talk to you little later then."

"Ok, I love you daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart, buh bye."

"Bye.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mike walked through the front doors of the Montecito and into the lobby as he did every morning, but today it was different. Normally he would see Mary's bright face walking through the casino. Today he didn't. He obviously hadn't seen it the last morning or two either; but now, now that the funeral was done, it was really starting to settle in and he didn't like it one bit. Mike knew that he had to be strong not just for the girls but for Danny too.

As he continued to walk through the casino he saw Sam in Cup a' Joe's and stopped dead in his tracks. She wasn't reading her book like she normally did. Today, like Mike had thought earlier, was different. Today she sat at a table in the corner swirling her coffee around in the cup with a swizzle stick, she had her elbow on the table with her hand propping up her head. The look on her face was the same one that Mike had seen early yesterday morning and for a slight second he was sure that he had seen a tear slip from the corner of her eye.

He then made his way up the three steps into the coffee shop and over to Sam's table. When she finally realized that he was there she lifted her head and wiped her eye. This confirmed Mike's observation that she had been crying.

"How are you?" he asked sitting down in a chair opposite her. She looked at him and then to her coffee.

"I'm fine; you don't need to be worrying about me. It's Danny you need to be worrying about." She said trying to focus the attention on someone other than herself.

"Yeah I am worried about Danny, but that doesn't mean I can't be worried about you too."

"Yeah well, don't be I am fine." She says snappily.

"Sam, why do you always try to hide your feelings? It's ok to be sad; it's ok to feel like this." He said reaching across the table and grabbing a hold of one of her hands.

"No, no it's not. I told myself when I started here that I wasn't going to put down any roots and that I wasn't going to get attached to anyone." She says not making eye contact with him.

"Why, why can't you make friends? What is so wrong with that?" Mike asks reaching over and lifting her chin in order to look into her eyes.

"Because…every time I get close to someone something happens and I end up losing them. I have screwed up every relationship I have ever had." She says taking back her hands. Mike is somewhat shocked at her statement.

"That's not true. You have been here for what over a year now; and you have not lost any of us. I am not going to let you push us away either. You know why we are all friends?" Mike asks her taking her hands in his again. Sam shakes her head no. "Because all of us, in one way or another, don't have a real family. Nessa's dad died when she was a kid, Mary was never close with her father, Danny's mom died and rarely talks to his dad, my aunt is always on tour, and Delinda grew up away from her dad for the most part. You see we all have this in common and have formed our own family. Whether you like it or not, you are apart of it. We are a family and we will always stick together." Sam smiles at Mike and gets up from the table. As she stands Mike gets up as well. She then outstretches her arms and pulls Mike into a hug.

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." She says into his ear as she hugs him. "Hey, you want to grab a bagel or something?" she asks beginning to let her guard down a bit.

Mike looks at his watch and replies, "Sorry I can't. I have a meeting with the security staff in ten minutes." Sam looks down kicking herself for allowing herself to be vulnerable. "But, I am wide open for lunch." He says smiling. Sam looks back up at him into his cheerful eyes.

"Ok, how about 11:30?" she asks feeling a little jittery.

"Sounds good; I'll see you there." He says, starting to turn towards an employee door."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"How are your pancakes?" Danny asks lifting his head up from his own meal.

Nodding her head she replies. "Good. Yours?"

"Good. So what did your dad want this morning?" he asks.

"He wanted to know if you were ok. He told me to call him once I got home last night and let him know how you were, but…" she stops and looks at Danny "…But I didn't call." She finishes.

"You know I meant what I said this morning right?" he questions her looking into her eyes to let her know that he was serious.

Once again nodding her head she replies, "Yeah, I know, but I meant what I said too." She then puts down her fork as she finishes up her breakfast. There is a short pause and she then changes the subject. "Are you almost done?"

"Yeah I am done." He says placing both of their plates on the tray and getting up to throw them out. Delinda gets up behind him and then follows him out to the car. "I am ok to drive; really." He says getting into the drivers seat. Delinda sticks out her lower lip as if she was pouting.

"I liked driving your car. I had never driven it before last night."

"Yeah well I can't let you get to comfortable in it you might try and steal it." He laughs starting up the car. As he backs out of the parking spot he steps on the break, staring at a car a few spaces down. At first Delinda is confused and has no idea what he is looking at. She then follows his line of sight and sees the car. It looks exactly like Mary's. She sighs and looks back to Danny who has now realized that she caught what he was doing, continued to back out and head out of the parking lot.

"The same kind of thing happened to me yesterday." She says, not quite knowing what to say or if she should say anything at all. "I found one of her purses that I had borrowed in my closet and I thought to myself that I should return it and then it dawned on me. I guess things like that are going to be happening for a while." She says hoping that she hasn't said anything that would upset him.

"Yeah, I guess." He says not really wanting to talk about it at the moment. He had been having a good time and didn't want the pain to come back just yet. "So do you want me to drop you at your house? Or do you want me to take you back to your car and then you can drive home from there?" he asks. "Because I am assuming that you would want to take a shower and get a change of clothes."

"Um…why don't you just drop me off at my apartment." She says thinking that she could then go and pick up her car later giving her an excuse to see Danny and check up on him. Danny then nods his head and makes a few turns and arrives in front of her building.

"You want me to walk you up?" he says unbuckling his seatbelt and going to open his door.

Putting her hand out she replies, "No it's ok."

"You sure? It's no big deal." He asks again hating not to be a gentleman.

"Exactly, I am only walking to the door. God you are so like my dad sometimes." She says smiling.

Smiling back at her Danny says, "Yeah well I will take that as a compliment."

"It was meant as one." She says turning and heading to the front door of the building. Once Danny saw that she had made it in the building ok he started up the car again and took off. As he came to a stoplight he took out his cell phone and dialed Ed's cell number.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Jillian jumped at the sight of the woman barging through the door on the television. Ed tightened his grip around her and smiled as she snuggled in closer to him. "What is this movie called again?" she asks.

"Misery; why do you ask?"

"Because this guy that plays the writer is kind of cute." She says giggling.

"Hey now, you can't say that kind of thing in front of me, or at all for that matter." He says jokingly. He leans in to kiss her, but is interrupted by the sound of his cell phone ringing. Laughing he gets up and makes his way over to the kitchen table and picks up his phone. Looking at the caller ID he looks to Jillian and furrows his brow.

"Who is it?" She asks.

"Danny." He says answering the phone. "Hello?" he says into the phone.

"Hey Ed, it's Danny."

"Yeah, I know. What's up?" he says trying to get to the chase to make sure that everything is ok.

"A little snappy this morning are we?" he says laughing. "Nothing's up I just wanted to call and say hey and see if you guys wanted to go out to lunch or dinner or something." Sighing in relief Ed looks to Jillian and shakes his head as if telling her not to worry.

"Um hold on a second and let me ask Jillian. Jillian do you want to go out to lunch or dinner with Danny today?"

"Yeah, of course how about dinner?" she says perking up a little. She had always liked Danny and new how much he meant to Ed; even though he didn't like to show it at times.

"Yeah we'll meet you for dinner. Where do you want to go?" he asks.

"Well I was thinking about just having you guys over to my house for a barbeque and have ribs or something."

"I don't know if that is such a good idea. Can you even cook?" Ed teases.

"Shut up and be here by around five." Danny says laughing.

"Ok see you then." Ed says also laughing and hanging up the phone. "Well it looks like we are going over to Danny's for a barbeque tonight." He says to Jillian making his way back over to the couch.

"Is anyone else going?" Jillian asks.

"I don't know actually. I didn't ask."

"Men, you guys never ask the right questions." she says shaking her head and pressing the play button on the remote.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Danny pulls his car into the parking lot of a u-haul store. There is a man standing on the corner next to the building. Danny knows he's there but does not let the man know he is aware of him. The tall marine walks into the store and can see the man begin to fallow after him. As he walks into the empty store the bell goes off and an employee walks out of the back room.

"Hi, what can I do for you today?" he greets Danny.

"Hi, I need a dozen moving boxes and a box of bubble wrap." He says getting right to the point. On the counter there is a glass case full of some special moving supplies. Danny looks to the glass case and can see the man from the corner in the reflection behind him.

"Ok, no problem. Do you need someone to help you with your things out to the car?" the employee asks interrupting Danny's stare into the reflection.

"What? Oh uh, no I am fine thanks." He says grabbing the bubble wrap off the counter and heading to the car. As he turns around the man from the corner was on an isle near the door pretending to look at some moving supplies. 'Coincidently' he finished looking at the supplies at the same time Danny exited the store. Danny walks over to his car, leans over, and places the bubble wrap on the passenger seat of his car. He then turns back around and starts to head back to the store. This time he lets the man know he is aware of him. As he walks by he turns his head and looks the man straight in the eyes. The man freezes and says nothing. The look he is getting is not a pleasant one. It is a look that lets him know if he tries anything there will be no hesitation on Danny's part and he will lay him out. Danny continues towards the door and then opens it. He walks back over to the counter and sets down some money on the counter. He then turns around, picks up the bundle of boxes and heads out. Placing the boxes in the back seat he can hear footsteps coming up behind him.

"Look buddy I don't know what your problem is, but you can stop breathing down my neck." He says turning around to look at the man.

"Lieutenant McCoy?" the man asks extending his hand.

"It's Danny." He says furrowing his brow in confusion and reaching his hand out to shake the man's hand.

"Lieutenant, my name is Captain Woodrow, I have been sent here by the United States Military to discuss with you the possibility of a special ops career." He says showing Danny a badge. "I have been informed of the work you have done for your country in the past and I would like for you to hear me out." He says making direct eye contact with Danny.

"Captain, any other day I would be more then happy to hear you out, but I have only been home for a couple of days and I have already been through so much."

"Lieutenant, when you enlisted in the core you knew what you were getting yourself into. Our boys have been coming home in body bags, so don't you tell me you have been through a lot. You are still alive and back home!" the man says starting to raise his voice.

Danny's blood pressure starts to boil and he can feel himself begin to lose it. "With all do respect Captain; you have no idea what I have been through. You are right about one thing I am alive and if I could, I would trade places with any one of my men. When I was over there each and every one of my men died. I then came home to propose to my girlfriend, who I have known my entire life, I had the ring in my pocket and she was killed in a shooting at my work right in front of me. So don't you come up to me captain asking me to do something for you and tell me that I don't have a right to be angry. I have every right to be angry!" Danny yells now up in the man's face.

There are a few people around them who are trying not to stare, but can't seem to help it. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go and pack up my dead girlfriends things." he says turning and getting into his car. Speeding out of the parking lot he wiped the sweat off of his brow. He couldn't remember the last time someone had made him so furious. Normally he could control his temper, but this, this was just too much. Especially after everything he had been through in the last couple of days.

As he continued to drive he couldn't help but begin to wonder what captain Woodrow was talking about; a career in special ops. What the heck did that mean? Was he talking about the CIA or a new unit? He didn't know; what he did know was that this man was able to find him at a u-haul store so he knew he would be seeing him again; whether he liked it or not.

………………………………………………………………………………………………


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

As Delinda steps out of the shower she reaches for a towel and wraps it around her body. She continues to move about her apartment getting dressed and doing her hair. After about forty-five minutes she applies some last minute touch-ups to her make up. She then walks over to the living room and picks up her cell phone off the coffee table. As she hit Danny's speed dial number she felt like a school girl waiting for her high school crush to answer the phone. Danny answers the phone and the sound of his voice makes Delinda's heart skip a beat.

"Hello?" Danny answers a bit gruffly. Delinda tries to talk, but finds it harder than she thought. Again she tries to speak and this time succeeds.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asks a bit worried at the tone of his voice.

"Delinda." He says cheering up a bit. "Yeah I am fine. What are you up to tonight?" he asks wanting to invite her to the barbeque at his house tonight.

"Well I was calling to ask you to come pick me up so we can go to the grocery store and get you some food, but besides that nothing. Why?" she asks.

"Well I am having a barbeque at my house tonight and want you to come." He says labeling one of the boxes he had just packed.

"Who's all going?" she asks not really caring but only asks so she doesn't sound too needy.

"What does that matter? You don't have anything going on tonight and even if you did what could be better then being with me?" he asks in a very cocky manner. "So just stop dancing around the question and be here by around five o'clock. Oh and to answer your other question your mom and dad are coming."

"Well aren't you full of yourself?" she says laughing. "…but yeah I'll come. Who else is coming, besides my parents?" she asks curiously.

"No one, that's it." He says bluntly.

"What about Mike, Nessa, and Sam?" she asks confused. "Did you invite them?"

Sighing Danny replies "No."

"Why not?" she asks still very confused by his answer.

"…Because I really don't feel like entertaining anyone."

"Well what do you think you are going to be doing while we are over?" she asks

"Delinda, you guys are more like family and I can just relax around you guys. Don't get me wrong I love the gang, but it's just different with you and your family than it is with them. So please don't make me feel guilty about not inviting them." he says looking down to his feet once again.

"Ok, alright. I am sorry. What time did you say you wanted me their?" she asks feeling bad about pressuring him.

"Well your parents are getting here around five but you and I have to go to the grocery store and stuff so when can I pick you up?"

"I am ready now so whenever you are ready."

"Ok, I will be there in about fifteen minutes."

"Ok bye."

"Bye." The two hang up their phones and they both are excited to see one another but feel guilty about feeling that way. Mary has only been gone a couple of days and they are already moving on. God knows that Danny was hurting and that he missed her more then anything, but he just wanted the pain to go away. Delinda made that pain disappear every time just by being in the room. He had always had a thing for Delinda ever since he met her, but when she ended things he had figured she had just used him to get to her dad. Not to mention while he was overseas he realized just how much he loved Mary. Mary wasn't here though. Delinda was and they continued to grow closer and closer.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Danny shook his head clear of his thoughts and moved the box over to a pile he had created earlier of other packed boxes. Putting the box down he takes in a deep breath and then walks back over to the kitchen counter. He picks up his keys and heads out the door and turns to lock it. He turns the key in the lock and then turns towards the car. He hops in, excited to pick up Delinda. Pressing his foot on the gas he speeds out of the quiet neighborhood. After a quick four minute drive he arrived outside a mini-mart. He rushes in grabs a red bull, puts some cash on the counter, and heads back out to the car. Getting back into the car he cracks open the can and takes a few sips, before driving back over to Delinda's.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She paces the room back and forth. Every once in a while she would deviate from her routine and make her way to the bathroom and fix her hair. As she is doing this she can hear the sound of Danny's car pull up in front of her building. Throwing her brush into her purse she practically runs out of her apartment. She stops as she gets near the bottom trying to catch her breath, trying not to give any sign that she had been running. Slowly, she walks out the lobby door and makers her way over to Danny's car. He hasn't seen her yet, but as he gets out of the car his eyes meet hers. He opens his arms wide and gets a big goofy grin on his face.

"Hey, I was just on my way up to get you." He says walking toward her. He pulls her into a hug and walks her, the wrest of the way, to the car. He then opens the car door for her and closes it behind her.

"Thank you sir." Delinda smiles up at him and says jokingly. Danny rushes around the car to his get into the driver's seat. "So what's the game plan?" Delinda asks.

"Well, we'll go and get some food at the grocery store and get you whatever you need and if you want you can come back to my place and help me set stuff up, if not then I'll just bring you back here." He says as he starts up his car and drives out of the parking lot.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey what time did Danny say to be there?" Jillian yells to the other room at Ed.

"Uh…five o'clock I think. Why?" he says cleaning up their lunch mess in the kitchen.

"I was just curious." She says walking into the room. "Maybe I should call him and see if he wants us to bring anything. While I have him on the phone maybe I can ask him who else is going since _someone_ forgot to ask." She says sarcastically looking at Ed. Ed smiles at her.

"I wonder who that someone is. I think maybe that someone was just glad to hear from his friend and didn't really care who else was going. Besides it didn't really matter as long as that someone's **best** friend was going." He says walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around him.

"Aw… that's so sweet. Am I really your best friend?" she says turning around and putting her arms around is neck.

He leans in to kiss her, but right before their lips meet he says "Who said that I was talking about you?" he smiles and Jillian drops open her mouth and slaps him on the shoulder as if she was hurt. Ed continues to laugh and reaches out pulling her back into his arms. "I am only kidding." He says kissing her gently. "You are my best friend, you always have been and you always will be." He says, again kissing her neck.

"How did I get so lucky to land a guy like you?" she says to him. She leans in and kisses him long and hard. The phone rings, interrupting them; they both smile and wrest there foreheads on the others. Ed reaches out his hand for the phone but Jillian gets to it first.

"Hello?" she says kissing Ed again.

"Jillian, it's Danny."

Jillian pulls out of Ed's arms "Hi Danny. I was just about to call you."

"Great minds think alike." He says as he pulls the car into the Safeway parking lot.

"Hey listen, since Ed forgot to ask, I'll ask. Who else is coming tonight?"

"Just you guys and Delinda. I don't really feel like entertaining."

"Oh ok, well what did you need?" she asks.

"I was actually calling to see what you put in that spinach dip that you bring to the office party every year. I was going to attempt to make it." He says laughing.

Jillian laughs as well and replies, "Well I'll tell you what if you get the stuff we'll get there a few minutes early and I make it for you."

"Deal, so what all do I have to get?"

"Get a carton of frozen chopped up spinach, mayonnaise, two cups of sour cream, leek soup, and some green onions."

"Ok thanks a lot. I guess I will see you in about…"Danny looks down at his watch. "…about three hours."

"Yeah ok we'll see you then." She says hanging up the phone. She looks to Ed and says, "Delinda's with him."

"He told you that?" Ed asks wondering why she said that out of the blue.

"No, but I can tell."

"How?" he says doubtfully

"He sounds happy, he has that tone in his voice that you have when you are with me."

Ed smiles at her and wraps his arms around his wife. "I have a special tone when I am with you?"

"Yeah, when you're with your buddies or your coworkers you're 'big' Ed Deline and you can be very intimidating. When you are with me you are sweet and kind and gentle; you will do anything to make me happy and I love that about you. That's how Danny's been sounding lately the last few days when he has been with Delinda." Ed lowers his head and closes his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"God knows I like Danny; he is the son I never had, but I think that this thing with him and Delinda is going way too fast."

"Wait a minute. So let me get this straight. Now you like that they are together? Last year you would have killed him if it hadn't had been for Delinda."

"Yeah, but now I know him better and I know the kind of man that he is capable of being. Jillian after what he has done over there in Iraq I know that he will do anything and everything for what he believes in and that includes the ones he loves."

"Ed…in my heart I think that Danny and Delinda will make the right decision. It might be a little early for them to go into a relationship, but that's not up to you or me.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Ok, so what else do we need?" Danny asks, walking next to the cart that Delinda is pushing.

"Um…"she looks down at her list. "Green onions and then I think we are done." The two turn the aisle and make their way over to the produce section. "What the heck does a green onion look like? Does it look like a regular onion only green? I have no idea."

Danny looks at her and begins to laugh. "You are such a dork."

"Am not." She says laughing and hitting him lightly on the shoulder. The two fall into a fit of laughter as Danny makes his way over to a shelf and picks up four green onions.

"Hey you guys." A voice says coming from behind them.

They both turn around sharply still smiling. "Hey Mike." Danny says.

"Hhheeeyy." Mike says a little confused. "You look a lot better then the last time I saw you. Hey D, how's it going?"

"Hi Mike." Delinda says.

"So what are you guys up to?" he asks looking into the grocery cart.

Delinda opens her mouth to talk, but Danny cuts her off. "I didn't have any food at my house since I got rid of all of it when I was deployed; so Delinda offered to take me shopping."

"oh well then why is your car out front?"

"I had Delinda drive me. I've been having some blackouts lately."

"Oh, I see. Hey, listen man, I am going to be late for my shift if I don't get going, but if you need anything at all you know you can call me."

"Yeah I know. Thanks Mikey." Danny says giving Mike a quick hug.

………………………………………………………………………………………...

"Ness?" Sam says knocking on her door. "Ness?" she again calls through the door. There is no answer. "Ne…"

"What the bloody hell do you want?" Nessa asks opening the door in her robe, half asleep.

"What are you doing? It's 3:00 in the afternoon?"

"My shift starts at 10:00 you nit." She says annoyed that she has been awakened from her sleep.

"Oh sorry. I guess I'll just talk to you later then." She says turning around.

"Wait. Come on in. What did you want to talk about?" she asks seeing that what ever it was that was bothering Ms. Marquez it was important. Sam walks in and sits down on the couch in the living room. She looks uneasy and restless. "When's the last time you got some sleep?"

"I don't know." She answers quietly. Nessa is now worried. Sam is never quiet. Something is definitely wrong.

"Sam? What is it? What's wrong?" Nessa asks.

Sam looks up at her with tears forming in her eyes. "Ness…I think have cancer."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The two start unloading the cart onto the counter to check out. Danny starts to laugh to himself and looks up at Delinda. "What?" she asks smiling at him. Danny just continues to smile at her and lifts the green onions out of the cart. "Oh, shut up." she says starting to laugh at herself again. They check out and take their bags out to the car. As Danny finishes up and shuts the trunk, Delinda stands next to him smiling.

"What?" he asks, looking at her curiously. She continues to stand and grin at him. "What? What's with the stupid grin?" She then puts her hand out and continues to smile. "What?"

"Can I drive? PLEASE." Danny sighs and looks at her one more time. Failing to stand his ground he hands over the keys.

"You know I don't let just anyone drive my car. You must be pretty special." She smiles and grabs the keys like a sixteen year old being aloud to drive for the first time. He walks over to the passenger side and gets in. Delinda hops into the driver's seat and speeds out of the parking lot. Danny grabs onto his seat and holds on for dear life. "I knew this was a mistake."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"When did you find all of this out?" Nessa asks very concerned for her friend.

"A couple of days ago." She says looking out of touch.

"What? Why didn't you say anything?" she says blind sided by her comment.

"Ness…I found out an hour before Danny came home. Ever since, things have been happening left and right. I felt so guilty sitting in my room feeling sorry for myself when Mary had just been killed."

"Well, you said that you _thought_ you had cancer. Does that mean you do not know for sure?"

"The doctor said that I have cancer he just doesn't know how bad it is. It could be as small as a mole and taken care of easily or it could…" she stops and looks around the room avoiding Nessa's eyes.

"When will you find out?"

"I don't know. The doctor said that he would contact me the next day but I never heard from him."

"Why didn't you call him?" Nessa asks her stupidly.

"Because…" she says again looking away from Nessa's eyes.

"Because why?" she asks, her voice getting louder.

"Because, Nessa, I'm scared!" she yells getting to her feet. Breathing heavily, she walks to the window and gazes down on the strip. Nessa looks down kicking herself for being short tempered with her. She gets up and walks over behind Sam and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have raised my voice." She says apologetically.

"No I am just testy. There's been so much going on lately and I haven't had much sleep."

"Ok, well I'll tell you what, I'm going to call your doctor and see what he says. I know you're scared, but you could just be worrying yourself over nothing."

"Yeah, or it could be something serious."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Ok, that's the last time I let you drive my car." Danny says stepping out of the car and making his way to the trunk.

"Why?" she asks with a mischievous smile.

"Oh come on. I thought I was going to die back there." He says pointing down the street from which the just came.

"So I went a little fast." She says unlocking and opening the truck. "I have driven with you before and you aren't exactly a slow driver either." She says grinning at him.

"Yeah, well…" he says not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." She says handing him a couple of bags and taking a few herself. "Now come on my parents should be here pretty soon." She says shutting the trunk and heading off towards the house.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey Mitch, can you bring up cameras 152 and 167 on P3 and P4?" Mike says walking into the surveillance area.

"Sure thing." He says typing in a few keys on the keyboard.

"Ok, now push in on this guy's left hand in the blue." He says pointing at the monitor.

"What is it we're looking for?" Mitch asks doing as he was told.

"That! Freeze it. Ok, now back it up a couple frames. Good." He says pointing at the dice the man swapped out. "Greg, can you pick up the guy at craps 23, in the blue Hawaiian shirt. Bring him up to holding until I get a chance to talk to him." He says talking into his phone and then hanging up.

"I have to tell you Mitch, I can't wait until Danny and Ed come back. This whole looking after the casino by myself thing is getting old."

"By yourself; what am I chopped liver?" Mitch asks looking at Mike jokingly.

"You know what I mean Mitch." He says sighing and sitting down in a near by chair.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Jillian lets go!" Ed yells up the stairs to his wife. "We're going to be late." He again yells up to her; then turns his back to look towards the front door.

"Quit your bellyaching." She says coming down the stairs. Ed turns around at the sound of her voice. He is about to say something, but stops as his eyes meet her.

"Never mind, I think we'll have more fun if we stay home." He says taking her hand to help her down the last few steps.

"Oh stop it." She says laughing.

"No, but seriously you look…" he stops again to look at her. "…amazing."

"Well thank you, but it's really no big deal. I'm only wearing shorts and a tank top." She says looking at him strangely. "We should get going though, we are going to be late." She says putting her arm around his waist and walking to the door.

"Ok if we have to." Ed says sarcastically as he turns to lock the door. The two then head to the car and head for Danny's.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey D, can you bring me the matches from the kitchen? They are sitting on the counter!" the tall marine yells from his patio. A few seconds later Delinda comes out with the matches in her hand. Danny takes the matches and lights the grill. "Thanks."

"No problem. Do you need me to…" she starts but is cut off by the sound of knocking at the door.

"Hold that thought." Danny says putting up a finger and darting to the door. Danny opens it finding Jillian and Ed on the other side.

"Hey!" Jillian, Ed and Danny all say at once. Jillian out stretches her arms to bring Danny in for a hug.

"Ahh thanks for coming." Danny says hugging the woman warmly. Then coming out of their hug, Jillian hands him a bottle of wine. "Oh… thanks you shouldn't have." Danny says not really meaning it. Jillian walks by him and Ed comes in awkwardly not quite sure if he should hug Danny or not.

"Don't worry I brought beer.'" Ed says laughing holding up the beer. "I know you are not a big wine guy."

"Awe come here big guy." Danny says playfully opening his arms and bringing Ed in for a hug.

"Goof." Ed says laughing and hugging Danny affectionately. "So what time's Delinda going to get here?" Ed asks pulling out of the hug.

"Actually she is already here. I picked her up before I went to the store." Ed's eyes dart to Jillian and she just smiles at him. "What?" Danny asks looking from Ed to Jillian and back to Ed.

"Nothing." Ed says simply walking to the patio where he has now spotted his daughter. "Hey baby, how are you doing?" he asks Delinda as he opens the patio sliding glass door.

"What was all that about?" Danny asks Jillian.

She simply smiles. "When I talked to you on the phone earlier, I could tell that you were with Delinda and when I told Ed that I could tell he didn't believe me."

"What do you mean you could tell?" Danny asks furrowing his brow.

"Ugh, men. I could just tell by the sound in your voice." She says still smiling at him. "Now, what are we having for dinner?" she asks changing the subject.

"Well, I have salad because I couldn't remember if you were still not eating red meat, and I have some steaks and other side dishes." He says looking proud of himself.

"Wow! Side dishes and everything?" she says looking at him suspiciously.

"Hey I can cook a meal." Jillian looks at him again. "Ok, Ok, Delinda picked them out." He says looking defeated.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Speaking of Delinda what are her and her father doing out there?"

"Probably burning down my house." He says walking into the kitchen and getting the steaks out of the refrigerator. He walks to the sliding glass door and opens it. "Ok you two. I am now kicking you out of my domain." He says ushering them out of the small patio. "Hey Ed can you do me a favor and get me a beer out of the ice box and put the ones you brought in there?" he says as Ed walks off the porch.

"Sure I see how you are; kick me out then ask me for favors." He says smiling at his protégé. "Yeah, I'll get you a beer." He says shutting the door. "Hey Jillian, why don't you start up on that spinach dip?" Ed says calling to his wife in the living room.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." She says hopping off the couch to go into the kitchen. Ed opens the freezer and grabs two beers from the ice box. Jillian opens the refrigerator door and grabs the sour cream then heads for the counter. Ed grabs her around the waist with one of his burly arms and kisses her. Jillian kisses him back. "What was that for?" she asks smiling.

"For coming with me to Danny's." he says simply shrugging his shoulders.

"You know I love Danny; I don't mind."

"I know; I just wanted to say thank you." He says letting her go and heading to the door.

"It's about time. It's 100 degrees outside; I'm dying of thirst out here while you're inside making out with your wife." Danny says grinning at Ed. Ed looks to Danny sharply. "Hey man the doors are made of glass its not like you were hiding." He says still grinning.

"Just shut up and take the beer." Ed says smiling, handing the beer to Danny.

"Cheers." Danny says to Ed tapping their bottles together.

"Cheers." Ed replies.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Sunrise hospital, this is James. How may I help you?" the dull young man answers on the other end of the phone.

"Hello, my name is Nessa Holt. I am looking for a… Dr. Erickson." She says while looking at Sam sitting on the couch looking terrified.

"Hold one moment please." The man says before Nessa has a chance to respond. "Bloody nice isn't it?" Nessa said still looking at Sam. "What if I were having a heart attack or something?" she says dumbfounded by the employee's rudeness.

"If you were having a heart attack wouldn't you call 911?" Sam says looking up at her for the first time since Nessa had picked up the phone.

"Oh. Yeah right. I knew that." She says beginning to laugh at herself.

"This is Dr. Erickson." A man says on the other end of the line.

"Oh, yes hello. My name is Nessa Holt and I am calling in regards to Samantha Jane Marquez."

"Are you a relative?" he asks.

"Ugh, no but,…"

"I am very sorry Ms. Holt, but I am not aloud to give you any information on a patient unless you are on their emergency contact list."

"Oh well, you see; Sam is actually sitting right her beside me and…"

"Then why didn't Ms. Marquez call me herself?" he says again interrupting her.

"Listen here you nit! I could tell you if you would stop being so rude and be kind enough to stop interrupting me. Now, YOU were supposed to call her back with some test results concerning some cancerous cells. She waited patiently and never got a call from you or your staff. Now she was terrified, so much that she was afraid to call and find out what those results were. So she asked me to call. If you would like her verbal confirmation she is sitting right here." Nessa says now out of breath.

"Ms. Holt I am so sorry my staff was supposed to call and inform Ms. Marquez. May I speak with her for just a moment please?" he asks very politely. Nessa does not respond and practically chucks the phone at Sam.

"This is Sam. Yes you can give the information to Miss. Holt." She says not waiting for a reply and handing the phone back to Nessa.

"Ok Dr. Now if you would be so kind as to share those results with me." She says very short tempered.

"Umm, let me see." He says thumbing through Sam's file. "Aw, yes here it is. It looks like Sam has just a small mole on her left arm that should be very easy to remove."

"And when can she have this done?" Nessa asks.

"When ever she has the time. It is a very simple procedure. It should only take about twenty minutes."

Ok thank you doctor." She says hanging up the phone on him.

"What did he say?" Sam asks looking up at Nessa with her eyes filled with tears.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey D, can you give me a hand?" Jillian shouts to her daughter in the other room.

"Yeah, just a second mom." She says as she puts a CD into the surround sound system labeled 'Danny's Favorites'. "What's up?" Delinda asks now walking into the kitchen.

"What were you doing in there?" Jillian asks curiously.

"Putting one of Danny's CD's in." she says. "Why?"

"I don't know. Can you get me the colander?" Delinda nods her head and walks to a nearby cabinet and grabs a plastic bowl. "Is this the CD you put in?" Jillian asks referring to the music that was now playing.

"Yeah." She says nodding to her mother. "Why?"

"I just didn't think that Danny liked this kind of music." She says with a surprised look on her face. Delinda stops what she is doing to listen more carefully to what is playing.

"Frank Sinatra? Neither did I." she says surprised. "Apparently he does, because the CD was labeled 'Danny's Favorites'."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey so I have something to talk to you about, but I want to you to let me finish my sentence before you interrupt me." Danny says while flipping over the steaks once more.

"This is not going to make me hit you is it?" Ed said jokingly.

"I hope not." Danny laughs.

"Ok go ahead."

"Well, I would like to come back to work on Monday. I know that you probably think that it is a bad idea, but…" he says, then stops due to Ed interrupting as anticipated.

"No actually I think that it is a great idea." Ed says looking at Danny very proudly.

"Really?" Danny asks shocked.

"Yeah, I think that it will keep your mind off of things and you seem to be a lot more in control of your temper then you were a few days ago." He says still looking at Danny.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for freaking out on Mary's dad like that. I just couldn't…" Danny trails off not finishing his sentence.

"No, I understand. Mary and her father didn't have the best relationship and I know when I would come back from a trip I was very violent when it came to something that upset me. I think it is just instincts." He says putting a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"Thanks Ed."

"No problem kid. It will be good to have your smart mouth back at work. You need to show Mikey the ropes anyway. He's good at the surveillance part, but he needs some work on the security." He says laughing.

"I'm not just talking about the job, but for everything." Danny says now looking at Ed. "I really do appreciate it."

"Like I said kid, no problem." He says now bringing Danny in for a hug. After a few short seconds Ed pulls back. "Ok now lets get these steaks on inside before my wife gets suspicious." He says smiling at his young protégé. Danny throws the couple of steaks on a plate and heads on inside after Ed.

Jillian and Delinda had spied the two men outside in their moment of weakness. Jillian gave Ed a quick glance to make sure that everything was ok. Ed shook it off to let his wife know that everything was fine.

The four sat down to the dinner table; Ed and Danny at the two heads of the table and Delinda and Jillian at the two sides. "Shall we say grace?" They all bow their head and take a hold of each others hands.

"Ruba-dub-dub! Thanks for the grub! Yay God!" Danny and Ed say in unison. The two look up from their plates and both start laughing hysterically. Jillian and Delinda look at one another and grin.

"Men." Jillian sighs as she starts to eat her salad.

About a half an hour later a knock is heard at the door. Danny looks to Ed with a scowl on his face. Ed shrugs his shoulders. Danny then gets up from his chair and goes to open the door.

"Lieutenant McCoy?" a soldier in his dress blues questions handing him a slip of paper. "It's Danny." The tall marine says taking the slip of paper. "Congratulations Lieutenant." The Marine says walking away.

"For what?" Danny asks standing in the doorway with his three guests staring at him. The soldier does not turn around and keeps walking. Danny looks down at the envelope afraid to open it. Not wanting to wait anymore he tears it open.

The letter reads "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy, while serving with a covert unit in support of the United States Forces. Lieutenant McCoy exhibited exceptional bravery when ambushed by overwhelming numbers, showing no regard for his own personal safety; Lieutenant McCoy called in an air strike and directed the ordinance to be dropped on his coordinates. Lieutenant McCoy's actions contributed to the success to the successful outcome of the operation and saved countless lives." Not wanting to read anymore Danny slams the door shut, tosses the letter on the counter, and sits back down at the table to continue eating.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Mitch can you keep watch? I'm going to run out and grab something to eat." Cannon says.

"Sure, hey can you grab me a red bull? I'm going to fall asleep up here."

"Sure thing. I'll be back in a bit." Says Mike walking out of the dark surveillance room. Flipping open his cell phone he hits the number three speed dial key and brings the phone to his ear.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So…it's nothing I should worry about?" Sam asks again looking up at her friend in disbelief.

"Not at all. The doctor said it's about a twenty minute procedure and that you should be in and out of there." Nessa says smiling.

"Thank you, Ness." Sam says getting up from the couch. Nessa nods her head. The two hug for brief moment. Sam then pulls herself together. Within seconds Nessa sees Sam transform from the frail little girl she had been just moments before to the hard headed Samantha Jane Marquez. She couldn't help but smile at her friend.

Sam's head suddenly looks down at the cell phone she is holding in her hand. It had gone off several times since she had entered Nessa's room, but she had been too upset to deal with anyone at the time. She then looks up at Nessa and back to her phone.

"I'll see you later Ness." She says turning and exiting out the hotel room door. Then answering her phone she flips it open and brings it to her ear. "This is Sam." She answers.

"Sam it's Mike." He says walking down the employee hallways and opening a door onto the casino floor.

"Hey Mike what's up?" she asks as she presses the button to call for the elevator.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about a few things and I was on my to grab some grub. You want to come with?"

Sam hesitates before answering. She looks down at her watch and then presses the casino floor button in the elevator. "Umm, yeah sure where are you?"

"How about, I meet you in the lobby?" he asks stopping off at a black jack pit to check up on a lead.

"Yeah ok, I'll be there in a minute. I'm in the elevator on the way down."

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Jillian looks from Delinda to Ed very quickly as the four of them clear the table. Danny has a small scowl on his face, but is trying his best to look like he is having a good time.

"Danny…" Ed starts.

"Ed!...Please, not now." Danny says looking up form what he is doing and looking directly into Ed's cold blue eyes. He then walks to the kitchen and places the dishes in the sink. On his way back he grabs the letter off the counter and sticks it in his back pocket knowing that Ed would try to get a hold of it and read it.

"Dinner was delicious Danny. Thank you very much." Jillian says trying to make Danny feel a little more comfortable.

"Well, I'm glad you liked it." Danny says grateful that he didn't have to speak of the letter anymore. "Why don't you guys go sit down and enjoy your beers while I finish up in here."

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Jillian asks a little worried about him.

"Yeah I'm sure." Danny says reassuringly with his big bright smile. Jillian and Delinda walk into the other room while Ed stays behind. "You can go, I got it." Danny says picking up the salad bowl and setting it next to the sink.

"Oh, cut the garbage. What was the letter about?"

"Nothing." Danny says avoiding Ed's eyes as he brushes past him.

"Danny!" Ed says demandingly, grabbing his protégés arm. Danny swiftly turns around and twists his arm out of Ed's grip and grabs Ed's arm twisting it severely. Danny looks at Ed horrified after he realizes what he's done.

"Oh my god! Ed! I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…" he says, quickly releasing his bosses arm. Ed looks at Danny with a scowl while he rubs his sore shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. You just need to get that under control. That's like the third time you've done it to me since you've been back." He says rotating his shoulder.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that you have a strong grip and… it's just reflexes I guess." There is a short silence.

"What was in the envelope?" he says hating to repeat himself.

"They are awarding me the silver star." He says looking towards his feet.

"So why are you pitching a fit?" Ed says looking confused.

"Because…because they are giving me a medal for getting everyone killed." Danny says again brushing past Ed with a few more dishes in his hands.

"No they're not Danny. They're giving you a medal for your bravery, for surviving an impossible mission, and for getting the job done!" Ed says walking over behind Danny. The young marine throws down the other dishes in the sink and turns around to face the ex-C.I.A agent.

"Then why me? Why did they die and not me? What makes me deserve all of this? Kent left behind a kid that he never even got to meet. What the hell makes me so special?" he says starting to tear up. "Seeing them die was hard enough, but having to relive it every night…I just wish that I could swap places with them."

"Don't you ever say that again! You hear me?" Ed says placing his hands on Danny's shoulders. Ed then pulls Danny in and hugs him warmly; knowing exactly where he is coming from. The two finish up in the kitchen and then walk back out to the living room; where Jillian and Delinda are looking through an old photo album of Danny's.

"Look at this. You guys were so cute." Jillian says pointing to a picture of Danny, Mary, and Greg on Halloween one year dressed up as Luke, Bo, and Daisy Duke.

"Yeah your costumes were really good. Where did you get them?" Delinda asks looking up from the album to Danny.

"What do you mean where did we get them? We made them ourselves. Out of old clothes and stuff." He says sitting down on the couch next to her.

"Really? That's amazing. They look exactly like what they wore in the show."

"I know, and it was really easy too." They continue to go through the album and Ed finally decides to sit down on the couch too, next to his wife.

"Aw, that's such a cute picture. When was that?" she asks pointing to a picture of Danny and Mary. Mary had been wearing Danny's lettermen jacket, he had been standing behind her with his hands around her waist and his chin resting on her shoulder.

"That was the last day of high school actually. I was getting ready to leave for the marines. See…" he says pointing to the next picture with Mary's arms thrown around his neck and her face puffed up from all of her tears.

They turn the page and come to the end of the book and Delinda shuts it. Placing it back on the shelf where she found it and notices all of the photo albums he has. "Wow Danny I had no idea you took so many pictures."

"Oh yeah, I love photography. I never really got into the whole photo album thing though. Mary took all of the pictures I had taken and put them together in those albums for me. Of course now all of my pictures are on my computer or camera. I never print them out."

"Oh I know. I still have pictures on my digital from two Christmas's ago that I haven't printed out yet." She laughs looking back at him. "Did you make those collages that are at Mary's?" she asks.

"Yeah." He says looking at her trying to figure out where she was going with this.

"Those were so cool. What program did you use?" she asks looking very interested.

"Um…Adobe Photoshop."

"No way! You have that. How the heck to you pull that off? That's like a $600.00 program."

Danny smiles and looks at her mischievously. "Don't ask." The two laugh and then notice that Ed and Jillian are staring at them.

"Wow." Ed says blinking and shaking his head.

"What?" Delinda asks, smiling.

"I guess that I never realized that my daughter and my right hand man were such nerds. Now I knew that Mike was, but you two. Wow" he says, now smiling at them.

"Hey, just because you're getting behind in the technology world old man doesn't mean you can come and dis on us." Danny says smiling at Ed. Jillian and Delinda are now laughing hysterically on the floor.

"Old Man!" Ed says, his eyes getting big. "Old Man!" he says again, now walking at Danny.

"Yeah, old man, that's what I said. I am surprised you could hear me without your hearing aid." He says still smiling. Ed is getting closer by this point, but Danny is, bravely, standing his ground.

"Oh yeah?" Ed says now standing right in front of Danny.

"Yeah." Danny says with his manly voice.

"Come here you nerd!" Ed shouts leaping at Danny and grabbing his head and putting it under his arm to give him a noogy. The two laugh and Ed lets him go. Delinda and Jillian stare at the two with wide smiles. "Don't ever think you can take me,…nerd." He says laughing and turning to walk to the kitchen. "Any of you guys want a beer?" he asks.

"No I have to drive since you are getting plastered." Jillian says laughing.

"Delinda? Danny? You want one?"

"Sure daddy."

"Yeah, I'd like one. Please." He adds at the last second. A few moments later he returns with three beers and a wide smile on his face.

"What are you smiling about?" Danny asks.

"He's just drunk." Jillian laughs.

"Well there's that, but I was laughing at something else."

"Well what was it?" Danny asks now really wanting to know.

"Nothing." Ed says shaking his head and sitting down.

"You can't do that." The marine says trying to get the information out of his boss.

"Oh yes I can. I have been keeping secrets for the past forty years." Jillian looks at him sharply. "Except from my wife of course." He adds quickly.

"Good save." She smirks

"Just tell us." Danny says, almost whining now.

"Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you. I was thinking about the first time I met you." He says laughing so hard that he can hardly spit the words out now.

"Ok, never mind. You don't have to tell the story." He says pleading Ed to keep quiet.

"No, you begged me to tell you so here it is." He says still laughing.

"What? What is it?" Delinda asks looking from Danny to her father.

_Flashback_

_Ed Deline point of view_

'_I'm in this mini-mart that is so gross and disgusting it was probably infested with every kind bacteria known to man.'_

"Ok come on, it wasn't that bad!" Danny interrupts.

"Hey no interrupting! This is my story." Ed says.

'_Anyway, I'm there fallowing up on a lead for the casino and…'_

"Oh please! You were buying lottery tickets!" Danny says, interrupting again.

"Hey, what did I say? This is my story and I'll tell it how I want."

"Even if it's not the truth." Danny mutters.

'…_so I am at the counter talking to the clerk about something, I cant remember what, and I see this tall, gangly kid, with almost no hair, and a baseball hat trying to hide his naked head . So he's leaned up against the wall in front of this girl, who is obviously not interested and…"_

"She was so in to me, it wasn't even funny. I would have had her if you hadn't butted in."

"Speaking of butting in…"

'_So he is giving her this puppy dog gaze thing, it was so disgusting I could have thrown up. Anyway he is trying to convince her that he is a marine, that's when I started laughing. Danny then looks over at me with his "tough guy glare" and starts to walk over to me. I'm not facing him, but I know he is coming.' _Ed starts to laugh and then brings himself together. _'So he taps me on my shoulder and says, "hey old geezer, you got something to say?" by this time I'm still laughing right in his face and he is blushing so bad I thought he was going to explode. So I shake my head and turn back around to the counter. So then I say "what an embarrassment to the Corps." This only infuriates him and I can feel his arm cock back. Before I even had to move this retard trips over his stupid shoe laces and falls flat on his ass. The girl just looks at him in disgust and steps over him on the way out of the store._

The three Delines start laughing hysterically while Danny just smirks sarcastically.

"First of all those weren't stupid shoes. The were air force ones"

"So how did he come to work for you then?" Delinda asks.

"Yeah Ed. You forgot to mention the part where I redeem myself." Danny says.

"I didn't forget, I just haven't gotten there yet."

'_So he gets up and dusts himself off. He taps me on the shoulder again, and I turn around to face him. He apologizes politely and asks him if he can do anything to make it up to me. I then ask him to answer a question for me. I ask him if he is really in the Corps. He replies that he just graduated form boot camp a week ago and is on a three day __furlough. We get to talking and after a few minutes he goes to the back of the store and continues shopping. I am up front trying to figure out the lotto…I mean talking to the clerk and some kid comes in, in a sweatshirt and a mask and holds a gun up to the clerk and myself. Danny here is still in the back of the store mind you. So the kid is ordering the clerk to give him the money while I am trying to talk him out of this. He then points the gun directly in my face and tells me not to say another word or he'll shoot. This is when Mr. McCoy over here comes to our "rescue". Danny comes up from behind the kid, kicks the gun out of his hand, kicks him in the back of the knee, and lands a right-hook in the kid's right eye. Wasn't too bad for a kid right out of boot camp. Danny then grabs the gun and lifts the kid up taking off his mask. It turns out the kid was only about fifteen and was scared out of his mind. Danny then tells him to clean his act up and sends him out of the store. _

'_I talk to Danny for a while and learn that he is just a kid with a good head on his shoulders and is majoring in computers while he is in the Marines. So I give him my card and tell him to look me up if he ever needs a job or something when his tour is over.'_

Jillian looks to Ed. "You never told me you were held up at gun point."

"It wasn't a big deal. The kid was fifteen and didn't even know how to use the thing. I just didn't want to worry you. Especially since I had just retired and you thought that I was safer in the job I have now. Anyway that's how Mr. McCoy and I came to know each other."

"So when did Danny come back and give you a call?" Delinda asks still interested.

"Um…I think it was around five years later. It was after your first tour over seas wasn't it?" Ed asks looking over at Danny. Danny nods his head in silence. "He walked into my office and I hardly recognized him. He had filled out, grown some hair, and was wearing a suit. He had to remind me who he was." There is a short silence. "Anyway, it turns out that it was the best thing I had ever done for the Montecito, hiring Danny."

The three people turn their heads to Ed, shocked that they heard something heartfelt come out of his mouth. "Thanks Ed." Danny says smiling at him.

"Don't let it go to your head kid. I'm drunk remember." He says slurring his words.

"Yes, yes you are." Jillian laughs. "It's going to be a chore getting you home tonight. You've always had the grace of an elephant when you are drunk." She says smiling at her drunken husband.

"What are you talking about? I can walk a straight line, backwards, with my eyes closed!" he shouts, pointing a finger straight up in the sir.

"Ok, honey. If you say so." She says rolling her eyes and shaking her head behind his back.

"Hey, let me ask you something. How did you and Ed meet?" Danny asks looking at the deeply in love couple.

Jillian laughs and Ed suddenly sobers up. "Well…"

"Oh no! We don't have to tell this story." Ed says. Danny's eyebrows raise, and his interest suddenly peaks.

"Oh yes we do! You told an embarrassing story about me now its payback time." Danny laughs.

"Well, I was in Europe touring, Ed was there on assignment and he asked me out. He was so nervous. He spilt red wine all down the front of his white pants…"

"Ed Deline in white paints!" Danny laughs hysterically.

"Here we go." Ed sighs rolling his eyes.

"It was just horrible. I couldn't wait for this date to be over, and I couldn't wait to get away from him. But Ed being the gentleman he always is, he insisted he'd walk me home. And so I made this deal with him that I'd let him walk me back to the hotel if I never had to see him again."

"So how did you guys end up married?" Danny asks curiously.

"Well on the way back he saw this gondola; he grabbed my hand and took me for a gondola ride. It was a spur of the moment thing and I fell in love with him."

"And that's how the gondola legend was born." Danny laughed.

Jillian blushed a bit and looked to Ed then back to Danny. "Who told you about our gondola rides?"

"Oh please. You guys talk about it on the phone all the time and you aren't exactly quiet. You'd have to be an idiot not to put two and two together." He says grinning at her.

"Well it sounds like both Danny and Daddy were major klutzes around woman back in the day. How in the world did the transform into such fine gentlemen?" Delinda says looking at the two men. Ed was now lying on the couch with his feet propped up on Jillian's lap. Danny was sitting comfortably in a lay-z-boy chair with Delinda on the floor propped up against his legs looking through another photo album as she talked.

The two men were both too tired and drunk to defend themselves against Delinda's accusation. "Hey mom I am gonna grab a glass of wine you want some?" unable to resist some wine Jillian accepts. Delinda gets up and sets the album on the floor next to Danny's chair and walks into the kitchen.

"So Danny, how have your last few days been?" Jillian asks looking over at Danny.

"Difficult, but it gets a little easier each day; and Delinda has been a great help." He says nodding towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, you guys have been spending a lot of time together." Jillian says, smiling at him. Danny nods his head very uncomfortably. Delinda comes back out and her mom and her have a few glasses of wine. After about another hour Ed has fallen asleep on the couch with Jillian trapped under his feet, and drunk. Delinda is a little tipsy herself and is laughing at everything that comes out of someone's mouth. Its now around 11:30 at night and Jillian was now sneaking out from under Ed's feet. "Well I think its time for us to go." She says starting to stand up, but as she does so she topples over and catches herself on the table.

"whoa, you are not driving like this."

"Oh Danny, I'm fine." Jillian says waving it off and then starting to laugh for no apparent reason.

"What's so funny?"

"You are so like Ed."

"Well I'll take that as a compliment, but you are still not driving you can stay here tonight. The couch is a pull out."

"It was meant as a compliment, and thanks for putting us up for the night." She says sitting down in his chair. Danny nods his head and goes to the linen closet to get some sheets. He walks over and put Ed's arm around his neck and lifts him up off the couch and sits him in a nearby chair. Putting the bed together he takes Ed's arm again and places it around his neck. Guiding him over to the bed he sets him down. Jillian then walks over and sits on the opposite side. Delinda is now getting up from off the floor and begins to look for her keys.

"Where are my keys?" She says searching all over the apartment. After about five minutes Danny looks over at her and notices that she is holding them in her hand.

"Uh Delinda?" he says reaching over and taking the keys out of her hand. "Are these what you are looking for?" he asks holding then up in front of her. She blushes a little and smiles.

"Yeah." She says reaching out, trying to get the keys back.

"No, I don't think it such a good idea for you either."

"Well can you drive me home?"

"I have had a quite a few drinks myself. Why don't you just stay here tonight and I'll take you home in the morning." He says looking at her seriously.

"Ok, but where I am going to sleep? There's no more room." She says looking around the small apartment.

"You can have my bed. I'll sleep on the floor." He says shrugging his shoulders. Jillian was now taking off Ed's shirt and pants leaving him in his undershirt and boxers. The two look over at Jillian.

"What? He can't sleep in his clothes." She says defensively.

"I'm sure he'll be just thrilled when he wakes up in the morning and finds out that you undressed him in front of us." Danny says smiling.

"Danny are you sure you want to give me the bed? I mean I can sleep on the floor." Delinda says feeling bad about making him sleep on the ground.

"No, I'm sure. Just let me change the sheets real quick." He says walking back over to the linen closet. Jillian throws some blankets, clumsily, over her husband and collapses on the other side of him. Delinda walks over to Danny's bed and helps him make it up. Danny then walks over to his dresser and pulls out a t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts. "Here, you shouldn't sleep in your clothes, according to your mother." He says tossing them to Delinda. He then pokes his head out into the living room to see if Jillian wanted something to change into, but she was already passed out.

"Thanks." She says walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her to change her clothes. Danny strips down to his boxers and grabs a pillow and a blanket off his bed and gets as comfortable as possible on the floor. A little while later Delinda comes out, changed into her PJ's and slides into Danny's bed. "Thanks again for giving me the bed Danny." She says looking over the side of the bed at him.

"No problem D." he says reaching up to shut off the lamp that he had just replaced hours before.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Author Notes: Dear RabidReader07, I thank you very much for your review. I too felt that it was rambling a bit. Don't worry though; excitement is on the way. It should be here in a chapter or two. I am truly sorry for getting the military facts wrong. You are right; I should have gone and done the research. I think I may go back and change a few things about that. Again thank you so much for the review. I appreciate it when I receive advice. Now on with the story

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As the tall marine sleeps the image of his troop's empty cots burn into his mind. As he walks over to each cot the sound of the man's voice is heard. Danny turns and calls for his men, but they are nowhere to be seen. Suddenly the voices start to fade and he calls for them louder. He stirs on the floor getting tangled in the blankets. Mary abruptly appears and Danny try's to speak to her. "Where are they?" he asks confused at the sight of Mary.

"It's alright, they are ok. They are with me and telling me all of the stories about you." she says smiling gently at him.

"Mary…" Danny starts.

"I must go now Danny." she says starting to drift away.

"No Mary wait!" he shouts shooting upright, awakening from his sleep. He looks around and sees Delinda still sleeping; he then looks to the alarm clock on the nightstand that reads 8:30 am. Untangling himself from the blankets he gets up and heads out of the room. As he makes his way through the living room he looks to the pullout bed with only one occupant in it. Jillian is fast asleep on the left side of the bed with the covers kicked down around her feet. Danny smiles and walks over taking the covers and pulling them up around her shoulders. She stirs for a minute and then continues sleeping.

Danny then walks through the rest of the living room and into the kitchen where he finds Ed sitting at the kitchen table with the newspaper and a cup of coffee. As Ed turns a page of the paper he looks over to see Danny walking in. "Morning." He says looking back to the paper.

"Morn…ing" Danny says in mid yawn. He opens the refrigerator and takes out the orange juice taking a huge swig.

"There's some more coffee if you want some." Ed says finishing up an article he had been reading and then setting the paper down. Danny grabs a cup of coffee and walks over to sit down next to Ed. "What are you doing up so early?" he asks.

"This is sleeping in for me." Danny replies. "What about you? You seemed a little…loopy last night." He says smiling.

"Yeah well if you know what's good for you you'll keep it to yourself." He says slightly grinning at Danny.

"You want something to eat?" Danny asks.

"Yeah, I'm famished. What do you got?"

"Well I was thinking of making omelets." Danny says getting out a frying pan.

"You don't know how to make an omelet." Ed says in disbelief.

"Yes I do. I learned when Mary made me go to those cooking classes with her." He said laughing.

"Man that girl had you whipped and you didn't even know it." Ed says laughing at him.

"No, I knew she had me whipped." Danny says sort of staring off into space. "So what do you want in your omelet?" Danny says snapping back to reality. As he asks the question he turns around to open the refrigerator and sees Delinda sleepily walking into the kitchen and sitting down at the table. "Hey sleepy head. Did you sleep ok?" Danny asks taking out some eggs from the fridge. Delinda moans and nods her head. Danny giggles to himself and walks over to a cabinet grabbing some aspirin and pouring her a cup of coffee. "Here this should help a bit." He says placing the items in front of her. Ed walks over and sits down next to his daughter and picks out the Sunday ads out of the paper and places them in front of her.

"Thanks guys." She says smiling at the both of them.

"Is your mom up yet?' Ed asks standing up from the table.

"Yeah, she was on her way to the restroom when I saw her." She says looking through the Sears ad.

Ed gets up and walks into the living room where he spots Jillian in the bathroom with the door open as she brushes her hair. Ed walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. Jillian smiles and places a hand on his face. "How's Danny this morning?" Jillian asks. "After getting that letter last night I mean."

"He seems fine. He's coming back to work on tomorrow." He says with a smile.

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Danny and Delinda sit in the Kitchen quietly. It's not an awkward silence, but a comfortable one. The silence is broken by a loud ring of Danny's home phone. Danny walks over to the cordless phone on the counter and picks it up. "Hello." Danny says placing the phone between his head and shoulder.

"Lieutenant McCoy?" the man on the phone asks. Danny straightens up and takes the phone back in his hand.

"Yes?" Danny says nervously walking out if the kitchen and onto his patio.

"This is Colonel Ryan…" as soon as the words left the man's mouth the images of his colonel raced through his mind.

"Colonel did my men get back to their families?" Danny says cutting him off.

"Yes Lieutenant, but that's not why I am calling…"

"Colonel if this is about the medal they are trying to give me, I don't want it." Danny says feeling is temper rise.

"McCoy! That's not what this is about. Now if you would let me finish a sentence I could tell you why I am calling." The colonel says shouting into the phone. Danny gets a hold of himself.

"I am sorry sir." Danny says calming down.

"McCoy, I wish I was calling to congratulate you on your medal, but I am afraid that is not the case. Lieutenant, while you and your men were in Iraq you endured some pretty malicious things. I regret having to ask you this McCoy, but I need you to come back out into the field." There is a long pause and Danny sits down in a lawn chair outing his head into his hands.

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Ed and Jillian start to walk back into the kitchen after Ed had finished getting dressed and Jillian put away the fold out couch. "Where's Danny?" Ed asks looking at Delinda. The young woman looks up from the Macy's ad to look at her father.

"Uh, the phone rang and then he took it outside." She says now looking towards the patio. Ed looks up and sees Danny sitting in the lawn chair.

"How long has he been out there?"

"I don't know. Five or ten minutes." She says not a little worried at the sight of Danny's head in his hands.

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"Are you there Lieutenant?" Colonel Ryan asks.

"Yeah, yeah I am sorry. What is it you need me to do?" Danny asks now going into 'Marine mode'.

"This isn't a secure line; I am going to have to ask you to come down to San Diego so I can brief you." Danny stands up and looks out over the balcony.

"When do I need to be there?" Danny asks.

"You need to leave Las Vegas in twenty-four hours."

"Ok, I'll see you then colonel." McCoy says hanging up the phone. He turns around and walks back inside. Jillian is at the stove cooking the omelets, Delinda is still looking at the Sunday ads, and Ed is leaned up against the counter looking at Danny.

"I hope you don't mind, they were going to burn." Jillian says flipping the omelet.

"Oh, yeah thank you. I completely forgot." He says shaking his head. "Ed, can I talk to you for a moment." He says walking into the other room without looking at him. Ed gets up quickly and follows Danny into the other room.

Danny stops once he gets to his bedroom and waits for Ed to enter before he shuts the door. "What's wrong?" Ed asks.

"My colonel just called; I am being deployed in twenty-four hours." Danny says standing tall, with his hands at his side, looking into Ed's eyes. Ed breaks eye contact, looks to the floor, and turns around.

"To where?" he asks.

"I don't know. I am flying to San Diego tomorrow to be briefed." He says. "Ed, I need to revise my will now that Mary is gone. I would like you to continue to be the executor of my will." There is a long pause. "Ed, I want to wait until after breakfast to tell Jillian and Delinda."

"Yeah, ok. What about your dad and the gang at the hotel?" Ed says turning back to look at Danny.

"After Breakfast I am going to head over to my dad's house and tell him then I guess I will head over to the hotel and tell the gang. I would really appreciate it if you, Delinda, and Jillian could be there when I tell them. It was hard enough telling them once." Ed nods his head.

"Of course we will be there."

"Thank you Ed."

"No problem son." Ed says hugging Danny. The two part and head out of the room and back into the kitchen.

"What were you two doing in that bedroom all alone for all that time?" Jillian laughs setting down two more omelets on the table.

"Oh nothing." Danny says reaching over and putting his arm around Ed jokingly. "Isn't that right sweet cheeks." He says in a sort of gay voice.

"Get off me you freak." Ed says laughing and pushing Danny away from him. The two sit down at the table still smiling.

"Jillian I am so sorry that I stuck you with all the cooking. I just had to take care of a few things with my sweet cheeks over there." He says smiling.

"No worries, I don't mind." She says now sitting down at the table too. The four start to eat their breakfast while talking about various things. Danny can't help but take it all in. He has no idea when the next time he is ever going to be able to eat with them again; or if he ever will. His smile slowly fades and he looks at each person taking in every detail of them. 'I am going to miss them so much.' He thinks to himself. 'This is what life is all about, spending time with your family.' This was Danny's family, now that Mary was gone; he and his dad were never really close since his mom died. Ed and his family always just seemed to click.

………………………………

"Where is Mike?" Mitch yells from his chair to a woman a couple of desks behind him.

"I called him a few minutes ago. He should be here any minute." She says very stressed.

"Ok what is the big emergency?" Mike says walking into the room.

"It is about time. I have been waiting for you for ten minutes."

"Shut up, you sound like my sister." He says leaning on the desk to look the computer screen.

"You've gotten a little temper mental since Ed and Danny have been gone." Mitch says looking at him with a furrowed brow.

"I have a lot weighing on my shoulders right now. What is that you need?" Mike says rather meanly.

"I have got a card cheat…" he starts

"So throw them out." Mike says simply. "why would you call me all the way up here for that?"

"If you would let me finish; now I think it's an inside job. This same guy has come back at the same time everyday and played at the same table as this dealer, wins a couple grand and then takes off."

"So maybe he thinks the dealer is lucky." Mike says shrugging his shoulders.

"Ah, now that is what I thought, but then I noticed that the player, who's name is Benjamin Cole, left five minutes before our dealer's, Michael Varner, lunch break. So I followed the both of them and this is what I found." He says punching in a few keys on the keyboard. Mike looks up to the P3 monitor and sees Michael Varner getting into Benjamin Coles car where Ben in paying Michael half of his winnings. "So I then went back and watched the footage carefully and Mr. Varner over here is dealing from the bottom of the deck."

"What time is Ben getting here?" Mike asks

"He is here now; he will be leaving the table in about five minutes." Mitch says smiling up at Mike.

"Ok, I'll go get him." Mike says walking away.

"Good job Mitch." Mitch says sarcastically to himself.

"What do you want, a kiss?" Mike says still walking away.  
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"Was your omelet alright?" Jillian asks looking at Danny who was pushing the last few bites around on his plate with his fork.

"Oh yeah, it was great. Thank you." He says looking up from his plate.

"Is something bothering you?" she asks, getting up to clear the table

"Actually I have something to tell you guys. Can you take a seat for a moment?" Jillian places the plates back down on the table and glances nervously over to Ed.

"I got a phone call this morning…" Danny stops and looks into the girls' eyes. "I am being deployed again. I leave in twenty-four hours." Jillian's mouth drops and she shakes her head. Danny looks over to Delinda; she is silent, still sitting in her chair, a single tear rushing down her cheek.

"How can they do that? You have only been home for a week." Jillian says looking from Danny to Ed. "Can't they get someone else to go?"

"No, all they told me was that it is a delicate assignment and it involves me personally. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that, so if you could keep it amongst yourselves I would much appreciate it."

"Of course, we are used to keeping secrets anyway." Jillian says, referring to Ed's former career.

Danny looks back over to Delinda. She is still silent except for the occasional sniffle; there are more tears on her face now that she can no longer hold back. Danny gets up from his chair and rushes over to Delinda; she stands up and throws her arms around him.

"Don't go; please don't go." She cries into his neck.

"I have to. I'll be back before you know it." He says, now feeling the tears coming on.

"I spent my whole childhood hugging my father goodbye, praying to god he would comeback to us. Comeback to us Danny." she says still crying in the crook of Danny's neck. Danny could no longer take it. Two tears slipped out the corner of his eye.

"No matter where I am, I will always be with you; right here." He says pulling out and pointing to her heart. Delinda pulls him in again hugging him tightly. After a few more seconds she lets him go.

He turns around to Jillian who is now smiling and crying at the same time. "She's left me nothing left to say now." She says shakily. "You will write us?" she asks trying not to breakdown completely.

"Every week." He says smiling at her.

"I am serious Danny, every week or so help me god I will hunt you down myself." She says seriously.

"Every week, I promise." He says gently.

"Ok, you better." She says hugging the very tall marine. Danny turns around and walks a few feet over to Ed.

"Last, but certainly not least." Danny says standing in front of his mentor. "Ed, I want to thank you…" Ed starts to interrupt, but Danny waves him off. "Let me finish. Not just for the past week, but for taking me under your wing. If it hadn't been for you I wouldn't be the man I am today and I probably wouldn't have made it back from my last trip. I know I have made some mistakes in the past, but when I come back I will be everything you expect me to be. I swear to you."

"Danny, I think of you as my son and I am so proud of you. Don't ever think for one minute that we are not here to support you and don't ever think that you have disappointed me. Do you understand?" Ed says with both of his hands on Danny's shoulders.

"Yes sir." Danny says looking to Ed. Danny hugs Ed and pulls out quickly not wanting to let out anymore tears. "Can I ask you guys for one more favor?" the three nod their heads. "Can you be there at the hotel when I tell the gang?"

"Of course we'll be there." Jillian says nodding her head.

"I hate to you leave you guys here, but I need to tell my dad and then go and get my affairs in order."

"Affairs?" Delinda says shakily.

"It's just procedure. I am coming back." A few more tears trickle down the side of Delinda's face. Danny walks over to her and gently wraps his arms around her. "I'll see you later." He says pulling out and walking out the door.

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Mike stands still behind a nearby slot machine, out of sight from the card cheats. As he watches from behind the slot he sees the dealer deal a hand to Ben from the bottom of the deck.

"Ok move in." he says into his walkie-talkie a little too loud. The two cheaters at the table look up from their cards and take off running with their cash.

"God dangit, I hate it when they do that." Mike says to himself running after them.

"Cut them off at the entrance!" Mike shouts to Greg, another security guard. Mike runs and jumps over a planter box and tackles the dealer cheater to the floor. "Come on!" he says pulling the guy up from the floor.

"And bring him to holding room two!" he shouts again to Greg, who now has the other criminal in custody.

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Danny pulls up in front of his father's house. He gets out of his car and suddenly realizes that this is going to be much harder then he thought. He walks up to door and knocks. He waits a few minutes before his dad opens the door.

"Hey buddy this is a nice surprise. What can I do for you?" he asks moving aside to let Danny in.

"I need to talk to you." Danny says very seriously.

"Ok, come on in and take a seat." Larry says shutting the door behind his son. Danny stops and turns around to look into his fathers eyes.

"Dad, I am being deployed." He says nodding his head, like he does when he is uncomfortable.

The smile on Larry's face quickly disappears. "What do you…I don't understand." He says taking a few steps back.

"I got a phone call this morning. I need to leave at nine o'clock tomorrow morning." Danny says, still standing tall.

"You just came home, how can they send you back out?" Larry asks in disbelief.

Danny shakes his head. "It's classified. They are flying me out to San Diego in the morning to brief me. I came over to let you know. We are having a little get-together tonight at the Montecito around eight o'clock…"

"I'll be there." He says hugging his son tightly. "I am so proud of you."

"Thanks dad. Listen I have a lot to take care of before I leave, so I will see you tonight." He says heading towards the door.

"I'll be there." Larry says with a very uneasy voice.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The Delines clean up Danny's apartment quietly. Not one word has been spoken since Danny has left. Ed looks around seeing that Danny's apartment has been put back in better shape then it was when they arrived.

"Are you girls almost ready?" Ed asks gently. The two look up, startled by the break of silence. Delinda picks up one of Danny's shirts from the bathroom floor, puts it to her face, and places it on the hamper. She then walks out of the bathroom and nods her head. The three head out of the apartment and down to the parking garage towards their car.

After a short drive to the Deline residence the three settle down on the couch silently. Another tear slides down Delinda's face, as she sits silently. Ed, who is sitting next to her, turns his lead to look at her and sees that she is crying again. He reaches his arm around and places it on her shoulder.

"I know sweetie, I am sorry." He says hugging her warmly.

"Isn't there something you can do? Can't you make a phone call?" she says starting to cry more severely.

"I have already tried. Whatever it is that the marines need him for, it's over my head." He says sadly.

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Danny drives slowly through some backstreets taking in all of his surroundings. As he reaches his destination he takes in a deep breath. He parks across the street and just sits for a while, sits and stares.

"I don't understand." He says blankly. "My whole life I have tried to do the right thing. I took care of Mary when things went wrong with her dad, I have always tried to lend a helping hand to people, and I joined the Marines to defend my country. What did I do wrong? What did I do to deserve all of this? I was deployed, and I was fine with that, but then you take all of my buddies and make me sit there and watch! Then I come home to marry the girl of my dreams, my best friend, and you take her too, killing her in my arms! Now I finally start to calm down and take this all in and grown closer to Delinda and you send me back over there? What the hell is your problem?!" He says shouting up to the sky.

He looks back over across the street at Mary's house and a tear dribbles down his cheek. He gets out of his car and walks over to the house. As he enters he can smell her scent and it sends shivers up his spine. He looks around slowly and then sets his eyes on a box he had packed earlier. He walks over and tears it open, rummaging through it. Finally he found what he was looking for. He takes the picture frame out of the box and stares at the photo for a moment.

It's a picture from the company picnic a few years back. Danny was in the center with his arms around Mary and Delinda. Mike had been next to Delinda and Sam and Nessa on the other side of Mary. Ed and Jillian however had just come up from behind Danny with a Gatorade cooler and thrown it all over Danny. There was a look of shock on all of their faces. Danny had just won the last competition, martial arts, causing them to win the whole lot.

Danny's smile widens and he takes the photo from its frame and places in his pocket. He looks around quickly and races out of the house back to his car. He pulls out his cell phone and calls Ed's number. The phone rings a few times before Ed answers.

"This is Ed." He says answering the phone.

"Hey it's me; I am on the way to the hotel. Can you guys meet me there?" he asks as he starts up his car.

"Yeah sure, we are on our way." He says getting up from the couch and then hanging up his phone.

Danny starts off down some back roads and then thinks better of it. He flips a u-turn and then takes a left heading out onto the Vegas strip. It's not as crowded as it normally is. He drives slowly looking at every hotel and all the lights as if he's a tourist. Once he makes it down the strip he pulls into the employee parking garage of the Montecito. He notices that Ed's car is already there parked next to Danny's space. Danny hops out his car and flies up to the surveillance room. His heart beats faster knowing that he is about to see Delinda. 'She will make it ok.' He thinks to himself. 'She will help me through this and I her' he walks into Ed's office through the side entrance and sees Jillian, Ed, and Delinda. He walks over nervously.

"They are all in the conference room; Mike, Nessa, and Sam." Ed says calmly. Danny takes in a deep breath and takes a seat in a chair that is in front of Ed's desk.

"I don't know if I can do this?" he says flatly.

"Danny I have tried to make some calls, but they won't tell me anything." Ed says disappointedly.

"No, no that's not what I am talking about. I mean facing them again and having to tell them that I am leaving and might not come home." Delinda lets out a gasp and then covers her mouth as if she had just sworn. She walks over and kneels down in front of him.

"You will come home." She says commandingly. "If not for yourself then for me, and for Daddy and for all of us here who waiting for you to come home. Do you understand me?" she says to him her voice staring to shake a little. Danny is still looking down at his feet as he sits in the chair. "Look at me!" she shouts at him, and he slowly lifts his head. "You will come home to us Danny McCoy or so help me god…" there is a short pause and Delinda takes a deep breath. "My father would go away for months with out any contact with us. He would be god knows where and in deadly situations; but you know what? I always knew that he would come back to us. You know why? Because when he would leave he had this look in his eye that told me he loved us more then anything and that he would do anything to get back to us, that he would never leave us. Danny I know that you care about your family the same way my father does. I can see it in your eyes just as I can see it in his. He would never have taken you under his wing like he has if he didn't think you to be an incredible person, friend, son, and soldier." She looks into his eyes and she can feel a tear begin to trickle down her cheek. "Now, we are all going to go in there and tell them what's going on and we are going to be strong and let them know that you are coming home." She says wiping the tear from her face and extending a hand to help Danny up. He takes her hand and gives her a big strong hug.

"Thank you." He says simply. He then takes her hand again and the four of them leave the office and enter the conference room. Mike, Nessa, and Sam are all in a quiet conversation, obviously discussing what they were all there for. The look on there faces are priceless as Danny enters. Apparently this has thrown off all of their theories. Danny walks to the head of the table and stands there. Delinda sits down in the chair closest to him while Ed and Jillian stand in the corner of the room near Danny.

"I am sure that the three of you are all wondering why I had Ed call you up here." He says calmly. The three look at him nervously. "I uh…had Ed, Jillian, and Delinda over for breakfast this morning." He says slowly. Mikes face looks confused obviously trying to figure out where Danny was going with all of this. "Anyway while they were over I got an…an unexpected visitor. It was a marine core messenger. They uh… they are deploying me tomorrow morning." He says starting to nod his head. Delinda reaches up and grabs his hand.

"I don't understand. You just got back. How can they send you back? I thought you were discharged, not on leave." Nessa says shaking her head in disbelief.

"I was discharged, but apparently something has come up that only I can handle."

"So are they like debriefing you or are they sending you back over there?" Mike asks, looking confused. Danny shakes his head and looks down at Delinda.

"It's classified." Mike says understanding that Danny can't tell him. During this time Sam is quiet. When delicate instances come up she tends to appear emotionless.

"How much time do you have before you leave?" Sam asks her face completely blank.

"I have to be at the airport at zero…" Danny stops himself from saying it in military time and then translates. "at nine am tomorrow morning. We are having a little get-together tonight in mystique, just us and a few other people." Sam nods her head.

"Well I obviously have a lot to do before I leave, but I wanted you guys to hear it from me and not some random person on the casino floor."

Danny turns to exit the room and Delinda gets up from her chair to fallow. As the two leave Mike, Sam, and Nessa's faces fallow them. Once the door is shut they turn to look at Ed.

"Don't say anything to them about spending a lot of time together. You here me?" Ed says looking into all three of there faces. "Danny needs someone to help him through everything right now, not just this, but Mary, what happened to him while he was over there, and now being deployed again. Delinda is just helping him cope." The three nod there head. There is a short silence until Nessa breaks it.

"Isn't there something you can do? I mean make a phone call or something, anything to keep him from having to back over there?" she asks almost pleading him.

"I have already tried. Whatever it is that they need him for it's over my head." The three lean back in there chair almost confused. It was strange for them to hear that 'Big' Ed Deline couldn't do something, couldn't fix what was wrong. He had always been able to bale them out of whatever trouble they had gotten themselves into, but to hear they he couldn't help them was terrifying.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Delinda and Danny are now sitting on the couch in Ed's office. "I have a lot of stuff to do today that's not so glamorous, I will understand if you just want to go home." Danny says finally breaking the silence between them.

"No, no I want to come with you. If that's ok." She says taking a hold of his hands.

"Yeah I would like that." Danny gets up and walks over to Ed's desk and sits down. He then reaches over and grabs a piece of paper and a pen.

"What are you doing?" Delinda asks.

"I am making a list of all the things that we need to do." He says starting to write. "We need to have my uniforms pressed and cleaned, stop at the lawyers, get my bags packed, finish loading up Mary's things, what else?" he says looking up at Delinda.

"Ugh I can't think of anything else at the moment, but we can always add stuff to the list later. Oh and have you started packing up Mary's things yet? Because if you haven't I have a feeling that we are not going to finish all of that by tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, I have already started. There are a few things that we are going to have to leave there and then I am going to ask you a huge favor."

"what?"

"While I am gone, if you could get together with a realtor and talk to her about Mary's house that would be great?"

"A realtor? Are you sure that you are ready to sell it?" Delinda asks a little taken aback.

"Mary left everything to me because I was her only family. But I can't afford to pay both her house payment and mine; especially while I'm gone and only making a military income." Delinda nods her head. "Well are you ready to get going? We have a long day a head of us." Delinda replies by getting up from the couch, but sees her parents walking through to the door.

"I'm gone not even five minutes and he's already taken over my desk." Ed says laughing as he walks into the room." Danny smiles up at him and tears the list off of the note pad.

"Hey guys, Danny and I are going to run some errands. What time is the thing at Mystique tonight so we know that time to be back?"

"Around eight o'clock." Ed replies.

"Ok, thanks Daddy." She says kissing her mother and father on her way out the door. Danny gets up and walks around the desk and kisses Jillian on the cheek and gives Ed a firm handshake.

"Thanks guy, for everything."

"Stop thanking us. You've done about a hundred times since you've been back. It's no problem really." Ed says clapping him on the back. Danny blushes a little and smiles at them and turns to leave the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"So what's first on the list?" Delinda asks

"Well I was thinking that we could drop my uniform off at the cleaners and then go to the lawyers."

"Ok do we have to go home and get your uniform?"

"No I brought it with me." Danny says pointing to it in the backseat of his Camaro. The two get in the car and take off out of the parking garage. After a quick drive to the cleaners the two jump out of the car. The two reach into the backseat to grab the uniform, as they do so their hands meet. Delinda looks up at Danny, her face flushed, and their eyes meet. Danny smile as Delinda brings her hand back. The tall marine takes his uniform into the cleaners and drops it off. As he walks back outside Delinda is leaning up against the car.

"You ready?" Danny asks her.

"Danny, are you sure you want me to go with you to the lawyers? There's a lot of personal stuff that you have to go through. I'll understand if you want to do this on your own." She says to Danny as they get into the car.

"No, I want you to go with me." Danny says simply. The two leave the cleaners and head over to the lawyer's office. Along the way they talk about a few miscellaneous things to pass the time. Soon enough they arrive at the office.

"Well we're here." Danny says sighing, as he shuts the motor off.

"Yep" The two get out of the car and walk into the office where they see an average height man in his early fifties.

"ahhh Danny" the man says walking over briskly outstretching his hand.

"Hey John, how are you doing? It's been a while." Danny says shaking the man's hand.

"I'm doing well. Oh and I'm so sorry to hear about Mary, Danny. I really am, she was a great girl."

"Thanks John, that means a lot."

"And who is this gorgeous young lady?"

"Oh I'm sorry; John this is my good friend Delinda Deline. Delinda this is John Wilson."

Ah, Ed Delines daughter. It's very nice to meet you Miss. Deline."

"Likewise." Delinda says shaking John's hand,

"Well shall we get started?" John asks waving his hand towards his office. Danny and Delinda walk into the office followed by John. They both take a seat in front of the desk as John walks around to the other side and takes a seat.

Danny looks over to a picture on John's desk of him and his wife Kristi at their wedding.

"So John how is Kristi?" Danny asks, making polite conversation.

"She's great; she's studying for her HAM license. When I retire we want to buy a boat and go sailing. So I told her she better get that license." He says smiling.

"Yeah, that comes in handy more often then you might think." Danny replies smiling. There's an awkward pause. "Well I guess we should get started." Danny says sighing.

"Yes, well from what I understand you are here to revise your last will and testament?"

"Yes that's right, I am being deployed tomorrow and I need to make some adjustments."

"Deployed? Again? But didn't you just get back recently?" John asks.

"yes, well John you were in the navy, you know how these things work. When they need you they need you no questions asked."

"Yes I understand. It just doesn't seem fare though sometimes. But the world isn't fare and that's how these things go."

"ya, well John as you know Mary was taken from us this last week and in my will I left most of my things to her. So we have to go back and change quite a few things. First on the list is my car."

"I assume you want to leave it with your father?" John says beginning to type on his computer.

"Actually no, that's not who I want to leave it with." John looks up from his computer startled. "No I would like to leave my car with Delinda Deline." Delinda shoots her head up to look at Danny.

"Danny no! That was your mother's car. Your father should have it." She says taking Danny's hand, gripping it tightly.

"I know, but if I leave it to my dad it will just sit in the garage. You can't take a Camaro to a construction site everyday. That car doesn't deserve to sit in a garage all day, it needs to be driven and taken care of. I know that you know how to take care of a car and you will actually drive it. I want to leave my car to you if anything should happen to me." He says looking into her eyes.

"So the car is left to Miss. Delinda Deline?" John asks.

"Yes." Danny says turning to face John. John types in a few things on his computer. "As for my financial aspects, I would like to leave half of all my savings to the breast cancer charity fund and leave the rest to my dad."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mike walks the casino floor watching over all the gamblers. As he walks by a black jack pit he notices Nessa standing there watching the players like a hawk. He smiles to himself and walks up behind her. "Anything exciting?" he asks as he approaches.

"Not really." She says quickly.

"What's on your mind?" Mike asks her. Nessa turns around to look Mike in the eyes.

"I can't stop thinking about Danny and what Ed said. Ed has always been able to get classified information and have a pull on things. Why can't he this time?"

"You want to grab a bite to eat?" Mike asks. Nessa nods her head and waves to a girl over in the corner and she walks over.

"Rachel can you cover for me? I'm going to take a break." The young woman nods her head and stands in for her as Nessa and Mike walk over to Opus.

"I know what you mean I've been thinking the same thing." Mike says as they walk towards the bar.

"I know Ed doesn't want Danny going back over there. He tried so hard to get Danny to let him make a phone call this last deployment. Mike I'm worried. They wouldn't go through all this trouble calling Danny back so soon after being discharged if it wasn't really important."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do……..Danny's a highly trained Marine he can take care of himself."

"Yeah so were all the other soldiers that came back in body bags." Nessa says taking a sip of her drink. Mike lowers his head, nodding.

"yes but those other soldiers weren't Danny and they didn't have the experience of constantly being under pressure like Danny has. That's one good thing that's come from Ed's constant harping." Mike laughs. Nessa smiles and nods her head.

"You got a point there."

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Well Danny, I think that just about does it. If you will sign here and here you can be on your way." Danny takes the paper, looks over it briefly and then signs it. The three stand up and John extends his hand. "Mr. McCoy, a pleasure as always." He says shaking Danny's hand. "And Miss. Deline it was a pleasure to meet you." He says turning to shake her hand.

"Likewise." Delinda says smiling. As they turn to leave the office John puts his hand and Danny's shoulder and Danny turns around.

"Godspeed lieutenant" He says saluting to Danny. McCoy stands at attention and salutes back.

"Thank you sir." He says, then turns to leave. Danny and Delinda hop in the car, she turns to Danny and says.

"I liked him. He has a unique personality, but he was nice and charming." She says smiling. "Which is odd because I normally hate lawyers."

"Yeah he's a good guy. Well I guess now we have to go back to my place pack my things and then head on over to Mary's."

"Ok, let's go."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I'm sorry Ed, but I don't know anything. It's above my security clearance."

"oh come on Gary, don't give me that."

"Ed, I'm sorry but I don't know anything."

"Ok, well thanks anyway, and keep me posted if you hear anything." Ed slams the phone down in frustration. "Damn-it!"

Jillian walks in staring at her husband. "you haven't heard anything?" she asks.

"NO! No one can tell me what going on and why they need him. I don't get it." Jillian walks behind Ed's desk and starts messaging his shoulders.

"Well that is strange, but what ever they need him for it must be very important. And Danny must be very good at what he does if they are going through all this trouble to specifically have him." She says still rubbing Ed's shoulders. "Plus after spending all this time with you, being over there will be a vacation." She says laughing.

"Hey! Ed says smiling and whipping around in his chair. The two laugh, and Ed pulls Jillian so that she is now sitting on his lap. "You always no how to make me laugh." He says smiling at her.

"Yes well you pick up on a few things after being married for more then thirty years." She says giving him a quick peck on the lips.

There's a quick knock on the door and Mike walks in with his face in a pile of papers.

"Normally when one knocks they wait for an answer Mike. Didn't they teach you anything at MIT?" Mike looks up from the stack of papers and sees Jillian getting up. Mike blushes before saying.

"Sorry Mr. D." Jillian bends down to kiss Ed and smiles at him.

"I will see you tonight at the get-together in Mystique." She says, then picks up her purse and walks out of Ed's office.

"Sorry about that Mr. D." Mike says sitting down in a chair.

"Yeah well what ever it is you needed it better be important."

"Well I am not really understanding this whole thing with Danny. He comes home after six months over there and now after only being back for a week they are recalling him. That's all one thing, if it was just that then maybe it would settle better….ok maybe not, but why can't you get any information? None of it makes sense Mr. D."

"Mike I understand that you may be a little confused, but if the marines call Danny back he doesn't have a choice, whether it makes sense or not."

"I know that Mr. D, but isn't there anything you can do? At least find out why?"

"Michael, even if I did know why you know I couldn't tell you."

"I know that, but just knowing that you know and that it makes sense would put me at ease." Ed sighs and shakes his head.

"You're a good friend Mike. To tell you the truth it made me a little curious myself and I tried to do some checking, but no one can tell me anything. Mike you can't tell anyone that I have been calling around do you hear me?"

"Yes sir. Just tell me if you find something would you?"

"I will Mike, but I can't promise anything."

"I know."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey D can you get that green duffle bag by washer?" Danny yells to Delinda in the next room. After he finishes getting his shaving kit together he turns around to see Delinda dragging this huge green bag across the floor.

"You haven't even unpacked this stuff yet?" she says laughing.

"Well I was gonna wash it all tonight, but I guess that plan has gone down the toilet." Danny takes the bag and dumps all of its contents on the floor. The two sit down and begin to refold all of the uniforms.

The two finish packing all the uniforms into the duffle bag a few minutes later. "Well…"Danny says standing up. "I guess that's it. We can take the bag down to the car and then head on over to Mary's."

Delinda stands up shortly after. "Ok, I have a quick question though." Danny looks at her questioningly. "We are going to go pack up Mary's things and then what are we going to do with it all?"

"I called some movers; they are gonna come by the house tomorrow and then take it all over to my apartment."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mike sits in a chair in the surveillance room quietly; thinking about everything that has happened over the past week. 'Danny comes home, there's a shooting, Mary dies, Danny starts to heal, the marines call him back, now he has to leave, Ed can't find anything out about it.' Mike thinks to himself. "None of it makes any sense." He says out loud to himself. Mitch rolls by.

"You ok Mike?" he asks. Mike looks up startled and nods his head yes.

"MIKE MY OFFICE, NOW!" Ed yells out. Mike turns around quickly and gets up, walking briskly into Ed's office.

"Mr. D?" he says as he enters the office.

"Shut the door." Ed commands, looking up from his computer. "Mike, I found something!" Ed says sounding somewhat excited and somewhat scared.

"Well…what is it?"

"I don't know. I haven't opened the file yet."

"Mr. D, maybe we shouldn't open it; maybe its better that we not know." Mike says nervously.

"Mike, no matter what Danny is a marine and he can take care of himself. I'm going to open this file and see what's going on, if you don't want to know you should leave." Ed says calmly looking into Mikes eyes.

Mike shakes his head, "I'm sorry…" he says nodding his head. "Open it."


	20. Chapter 20 Last Chapter

**Chapter 20**

Danny and Delinda pull up in front of Mary's house. Delinda stands up and looks back at Danny, he smiles at her and walks around the car to her side. They both take a deep breath before walking up to the house.

Danny unlocks the front door and they walk in. "Wow you got a lot of packing done already." Delinda says looking to Danny. He nods his head and starts packing silently.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Come on Mr. D open it…" Mike says impatiently. Ed looks up at Mike and sighs, then double clicks the folder on the computer and opens it. "Well what's it say?" Mike asks still impatient. Ed doesn't look away from the computer. "Well!?" Ed now looks over to Mike with an annoyed glare. Mike slouches in his chair and looks down like a beaten dog. "Sorry"

"Ok, well it says here….that while Danny was recalled this last time he and his team were sent on a covert operation...now Mike you know I can't tell you all the details so just bare with me for a minute while I filter some of this out." Mike nods his head. "Well apparently he was supposed to take care of something while he was over there, and something unexpected came up. The marines wanted someone in the team to go back and take care of it and since Danny is the only one left he has to go."

"Do you think that's a good reason to recall him?" Mike asks trying to read Ed's face.

"Well…I don't understand why Danny's the only one that can take care of this. Anyone that they brief can take care of it. I don't know maybe there's something that's not in this file. Well at least I know where he's going to be, I guess." Ed leans back in his chair. There's a long silent pause; Mike gets up from his chair after a while.

"Well I guess I'll get going." As he starts to turn away Ed stops him.

"Mike…" Mike turns around to face Ed.

"Keep this between us?" Mike says, knowing what Ed was going to say. Ed nods his head and then looks back at the computer. Mike then turns around and heads out the door.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well that's pretty much it I think." Delinda says setting down the last box by the front door. She looks around and Danny comes walking out from the kitchen. He nods his head and picks up his keys from the coffee table. Delinda looks over at Danny and looks down. "I'll give you a minute." She says turning around to walk outside. She shuts the door behind her.

Danny walks around the house; in and out of every room. He looks over at her bed, then out to the pool in the backyard. After a few more minutes he walks to the front door and opens it. Before he leaves he turns and takes one last glance at the house. He shuts the door and locks it, and then slowly walks back to the car. Delinda sits in the passenger seat quietly as Danny gets in the car. He looks across the street one more time, and then starts up the car and heads off down the road.

"Are you ok?" Delinda asks as they start to reach the strip. Danny nods his head silently. "Are u sure?" she asks again.

"No, but there's not much I can do about it; about any of it." He says shrugging his shoulders. Delinda nods her head and looks out the window. Just then Danny pulls up to Delinda's building and puts the car in park. "Well do you want me to pick you up tonight?" Delinda looks over to him confused. "For the thing at mystique…"

"Oh right, right. Um can you pick me up around 7:30?"

"Sure, I'll see you in an hour and a half." He says smiling.

"See you then." She says smiling back at him as she gets out of the car. Danny waits until she enters the apartment building before driving off.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So, are you taking off soon?" Nessa asks walking up to Sam who was standing a few tables away from one of her whales.

"Yeah, I'm gonna leave in about ten minutes to go up and take a shower and stuff." She says not looking away from her whale. "If you ever tell anyone I said this I'll just deny it, but I'm going to miss Danny a little bit." She says still staring at the whale.

"Did I hear you right? Did you just say something heartfelt?"

"No of course not, I don't have a heart remember." She says quick and cold. Nessa smiles and looks at Sam out of the corner of her eye.

"I know what you mean though; I'm going to miss him too. Well I'm going to go home and get ready. I'll see you in about an hour."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ed sits in his office starring at his computer mutely. Suddenly he hears his cell phone ring. He looks down and picks up the phone and sees the caller ID read 'Babe Cell'. "Hey honey what's up?"

"Are you coming home anytime soon?" Jillian asks distractedly. Ed looks down at his watch and stands up quickly picking up his jacket.

"Yeah I'm leaving right now." He says throwing all his stuff together.

"You know Edward for a spy you are not very good at lying." She says smiling and shaking her head.

"That's ex-spy" he says laughing to himself. "I'm sorry I lost track of time I'm heading out the door right now; I'll be home in a few."

"Ok love you."

"Love you too, buh bye."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mike turns around in his chair to see Ed leaving and sighs quietly. About five minutes later he gets up and walks down to his car in the parking garage. He pushes the button on his key ring and the trunk pops open. He reaches in and grabs a new set of clothes, shuts the trunk, and heads back towards the hotel. As he walks in he walks over to the lobby where Megan is standing behind the counter.

"Hey aren't you going to be late Mr. Cannon?" Megan asks.

"Well I don't have time to run home, so I need a room for about an hour. Megan nods her head. "What rooms are open?"

She types in a few keys looking down at the computer. She looks back up at Mike and says, "504"

"Cool, thanks Megan." He says walking away, towards the elevators.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**1 hour later**_

Danny and Delinda are on their way to the Montecito

Ed and Jillian are up in Ed's office at the hotel.

Mike is headed downstairs

Nessa and Sam are already at the restaurant with Mitch, Larry McCoy, and all of Danny's other friends.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ed sits in his chair quietly looking at the computer. Jillian sits on the couch looking through the latest people magazine, occasionally looking up at Ed. After several minutes she puts the magazine down and stares him down. Ed finally looks away from the computer at his wife.

"What?" he asks. She continues to stare him down.

"You know what." She says.

"Whaaaat?" he asks again.

"Are you just going to stay up here the whole time hiding?" she says now standing up.

"Hiding? Who's hiding? I'm not hiding."

"Edward, for god sake!"

"What?" he says again.

"Oh come on! Why do you always do this? It won't kill you to show a little emotion."

"I just don't want to go down there with all those people." He says defensively. Jillian rolls her eyes.

"Well I'm going downstairs. I'll be back later." She says leaving the room.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well we're here." Danny says pulling his car up to the valet. Delinda looks towards the door, her face away from Danny, and nods her head. The two get out and walk into the hotel. They make their way over to the restaurant and run into Jillian on the way there.

"Hey Mrs. D, over here!" Danny calls raising his arm in the air to get her attention. Jillian looks around before spotting the two.

"Hey" she says smiling brightly. The three make a little small talk and continue walking towards the restaurant.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ed sits up in office watching everyone down in the club mingling, laughing, crying, and he couldn't help feel like he was supposed to be down there. He sighs heavily and leans back in his chair again. He continues to watch the monitors, debating whether or not if he should go down and mingle with the other Montecito employees.

_**1 hour later**_

A few people have left, but for the most part everyone's still there. Danny makes his way over to Delinda and whispers in her ear that's it's time to go. He says good bye to his dad and a few other people. He now walks towards the door and turns around, before he leaves he sees Sam, Mike, and Nessa standing there. He smiles to himself thinking what great friends he has.

"Thanks guys." He says quietly. The three smile at him, the girls' eyes are welled up with tears. Danny hugs each of them before saying, "I'll see you." He then turns and walks out the door with Delinda and Jillian. The three all walk in the same direction, to the same place, without saying a word. A short while later they arrive in surveillance. Danny stops before coming within eyesight of Ed's office and looks at the two women. They both stop and nod their heads. Danny continues walking and opens up the door to Ed's office.

"Déjà Vu, huh?" Danny says walking into the office smiling. "It seems like we were just doing this a few months ago." Ed grins briefly and gets up from his chair. He sits on the edge of his desk; the air is filled with silence.

"Listen, Danny…" Ed starts.

"Ed…I don't want to do this." He says simply.

"Well I'll see you." Ed says Danny nods his head. Ed stands up and wraps his arms around Danny. "Remember you have a lot of people waiting on you to come back home. Just remember that; ok?" he says tightening his grip around Danny.

"I know." McCoy says, before letting Ed go.

"Be careful son." Ed says extending his hand.

"I will sir." He says shaking his mentor's hand.

"Godspeed." Ed says bringing his hand up to his forehead to salute. Danny does the same. They stand for a few more seconds, and then Danny nods his head, turns around, and exits the office.

Jillian and Delinda are waiting outside; the tall marine walks over to the girls. Jillian smiles over at him, a tear escapes the corner of her eye; Danny smiles back at her and wraps his arms around her.

"Ed's really going to miss you; we all are. Be careful Danny." She says, her voice muffled in his shoulder. She then turns and walks into Ed's office. Delinda is holding it together; for now. The two walk out to Danny's Camaro; Delinda walks over to the passenger side door and moves to open it.

"Think fast!" Danny calls. Delinda turns around quickly and puts her hand up to catch the keys Danny was tossing to her. "Why don't you drive?" He says. Delinda smiles and walks to the other side of the car. They get into the classic car and drive off toward the airport. Five minutes later they arrive and park in the short term parking garage. The walk into the airport is dead quiet; except for the occasional announcement about not leaving luggage unattended. Danny looks over at Delinda nonchalantly only to see a tear sliding down her cheek.

They check in and walk over toward the security check point. The two stand there quietly, not quite knowing what to say.

"I am not going to say goodbye." Danny says looking down at Delinda. She looks down at her feet not wanting to make eye contact just yet.

"I've spent my entire life hugging my father goodbye." She says, now letting all the tears lose.

"Well you don't have to do that with me. I'll see you soon. Ok?" he says putting his hands to her face to bring her head up and look into her eyes. She nods her head silently.

"Come back to me Danny McCoy" she says hugging him tightly.

"Write to me every day." He says not wanting to let go.

"I will."

"Promise?" he asks

"I promise."

At that they hug one last time and Danny leaves to go through the security gate.

"Danny wait!" She calls. He stops dead in his tracks and turns around. She runs up to him and kisses him. "Here…" she says pulling away. She hands him a picture from a couple of weeks ago when he first returned. Danny, Mary, Delinda, Mike, Nessa, Sam, and Ed; all gathered around one another smiling.

Danny looks down at the picture and smiles then looks back up at Delinda and kisses her one more time. "Thank you." He says. He then turns around and makes his way through the security check points. Delinda stands there watching him until he walks out of sight.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Author's notes: Ok so the last few chapters have been a little slow. The sequel I am working on for this story is action packed and exciting. So stay tuned


End file.
